Prime Minister Mikuláš Dzurinda insists that onetime boss of Coca-Cola's Slovak branch Ivan Štefanec should be nominated to the post of Slovakia's EU commissioner. He said his whole Slovak Democratic and Christian Union (SDKU) party backs the nomination.
Dzurinda's intentions have irritated the Christian-Democrats (KDH) who wants to have former negotiator of Slovakia's EU entry Ján Fígel installed to the post. The KDH's František Mikloško ironically proposed that Dzurinda dismiss all his ministers and appoint managers of world-famous firms like Coca Coal or Pepsi Cola.
Analyst with the British Centre for European Reform Katinka Barysch told daily SME that candidate countries should strive to make the best possible impression, thus appointing someone already known in Brussels would be reasonable.
The Slovak political elite agrees that Fígel meets all the conditions.
Compiled by Beáta Balogová from press reports
The Slovak Spectator cannot vouch for the accuracy of the information presented in its Flash News postings.
16. Jul 2003 at 11:56
