DEPUTY PM for EU integration Pál Csáky said Christian Democrat Ján Figeľ, who is the party's candidate for the European commissioner post, should not represent Slovakia in the European Commission because his party is known for Euroscepticism.
Figeľ, who for years lead Slovakia's EU negotiator teams, denied the comment and said he hoped the Hungarian Coalition Party (SMK), of which Csáky is a member, did not share the deputy PM's opinion.
Head of the SMK parliamentary caucus Gyula Bárdos said to the Slovak daily SME on January 8 that Csáky's opinion was not SMK's official stance regarding Figeľ.
He said, however, that the SMK would try to find its own candidate for the post before the January 12 meeting of the coalition council. If it did not succeed in finding a good candidate, the SMK would support Figeľ.
The ruling Slovak Democratic and Christian Union has nominated Coca Cola manager Ivan Štefanec for the position.
Compiled by Martina Pisárová from press reports
The Slovak Spectator cannot vouch for the accuracy of the information presented in its Flash News postings.
