Syria Accepts Credentials of New Czech Ambassador in Damascus

Syria's interim president, Ahmed al-Sharaa, has accepted the credentials of the new Czech ambassador to Damascus, Jiří Pivoňka. The ceremony was also attended by Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shibani, after which the diplomat formally began his mission.

With this step, Czechia has restored full ambassador-level representation in Syria for the first time in three years. Pivoňka had previously headed the diplomatic mission in Damascus as chargé d'affaires since January 2025 — shortly after the fall of Bashar al-Assad's regime. Before that, he spent six years leading the Czech embassy in Moscow, until 2024.

His predecessor as Czech ambassador to Damascus was Eva Filipi, who held the post for 13 years. She maintained a personal rapport with dictator Assad, who awarded her a medal upon the conclusion of her mission. Notably, under her leadership, the Czech embassy in Damascus also represented US interests in Syria — a role the mission continues to fulfill today.

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Around Prague, based on reporting by novinky.cz