New Czech ambassador to Holy See starts mission

Pope Francis on Thursday welcomed to the Vatican the new ambassador of the Czech Republic to the Holy See, Mr. Václav Kolaja.  At a formal ceremony in the Vatican, the 47-year old diplomat presented his credentials to the Pope at the start of his diplomatic mission.

Born on 14 June 1971 in Uherské Hradištĕ, Kolaja is married and father of two children.   He graduated in history from Prague’s Charles University in 1996.

Václav Kolaja has held the following positions:

1996 - 1997: Official in the department for diplomatic protocol at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs

1997 - 2000: Official in the department for political relations with the European Union at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs

2000 - 2004: Secretary at the Czech Embassy in London

2004 – 2009: Head of the Legal and Institutional Section at the Permanent Representation of the Czech Republic to the European Union, Brussels

2009 - 2011: In charge of North America at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs

2011 - 2015: Head of the Political Section at the Czech Embassy in Washington D.C.

2015 - 2016: Coordinator for Cyber Security at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Since 1 June 2016: Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs