sl flag go to the original language article
This article has been translated by Artificial Intelligence (AI). The news agency is not responsible for the content of the translated article. The original was published by STA.

Prime Minister: Due to Slovenia, the procedures for appointing the European Commission will not suffer

by AI | 11.Sep 2024 | Europe in brief AI

Slovenian Prime Minister Robert Golob assured that the procedures for appointing the new European Commissioner from Slovenia would not suffer despite the complications with confirming the new candidate.

Slovenian Prime Minister Robert Golob at the council meeting of his party Freedom Movement. Photo: Daniel Novakovič/STA

Ljubljana – The Prime Minister of Slovenia Robert Golob accused the opposition of delaying the process of appointing the candidate for European Commissioner from Slovenia, Marta Kos. He assured that the appointment procedures of the commission will not suffer because of Slovenia. The opposition party SDS does not want to call a session of the parliamentary committee for EU affairs until it receives explanations about the withdrawal of the original candidate Tomaž Vesel.

The Prime Minister initially stated before the session of the liberal party council Movement Freedom that he does not want to comment on ongoing procedures and would not do so this time. However, during his statement, he changed his mind and emphasized that he is always fascinated by the opposition’s efforts with procedural complications, even regarding decisions they have absolutely no influence on, but only hinder the work of the government.

He also said that he spoke today with the President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen. At the same time, he assured that the commission’s appointment procedures will not suffer because of Slovenia, nor will the reputation of the country suffer.

The Slovenian government nominated former diplomat Marta Kos as the commissioner candidate on Monday, after the former president of the Slovenian Court of Audit, Tomaž Vesel, withdrew his candidacy on Friday. Before sending the proposal to Brussels, the competent committee in the National Assembly must provide an opinion, which is not binding.

The chairman of the EU Affairs Committee, Franc Breznik from the opposition SDS, which is part of the center-right European People’s Party (EPP), insists that if the session is to be called on Friday, he wants to receive additional materials and explanations from the government about the reasons for the change of candidates by Thursday.

Since the process of appointing the commissioner candidate in Slovenia has not yet been completed, the President of the Commission von der Leyen postponed the presentation of the commissioner team, scheduled for today, to next Tuesday. (September 11)