Slovakia's pick for its next European commissioner will be left to the largest party in the current governing coalition, Smer, representatives of all three coalition parties – Smer, the Slovak National Party (SNS) and the Movement for a Democratic Slovakia (HZDS) – agreed on Tuesday, September 8. However, no specific names have been discussed as yet, they added.
According to the prime minister and chairman of Smer, Robert Fico, Slovakia's candidate for the post of EU commissioner shouldn't be a member of any political party. "I perceive the person to be a professional with appropriate experience not only in diplomacy but also in the European Commission's structures," said Fico. "It must be someone with adequate knowledge of the portfolio he will take on," the PM told the TASR newswire.
Fico also reiterated that Slovakia will be aiming to secure the energy or transport portfolio. He declined to specify whether Slovakia's current ambassador to the EU, Maroš Šefčovič would be a candidate. HZDS MP Milan Urbáni, who has expressed an interest in assuming the post, said in August that Slovakia's choice for the European Commission post should have been made a long time ago.
Foreign Affairs Ministry spokesman Peter Stano said that there is hardly any point in the country placing its candidate before the Irish referendum on the Lisbon Treaty is held on October 2, as much hinges on the outcome of the vote in terms of how the European Commission will be structured.
Compiled by Zuzana Vilikovská from press reports
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