SLOVAKIA’S European Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič may receive the post in which he would oversee European neighbourhood policy and European Union enlargement, the EurActiv website wrote on September 8. The specific names and the distribution of the posts should be revealed on September 10.
Several media outlets have already speculated about which posts will go to which European commissioners, with Slovak media already reporting that Šefčovič may fill the post of the commissioner responsible for development aid.
The latest reports, however, indicate that he will replace Czech Štefan Füle, who was responsible for EU enlargement and European neighbourhood agenda in the previous tenure. The media have also speculated that the post might go to Johannes Hahn from Austria. Diplomatic sources, however, said later that the function should remain in the hands of someone from one of the new EU member states, the TASR newswire wrote.
“I think that the position of Maroš Šefčovič is so strong that Mr President of the EC is naturally interested in having him as close as possible,” Slovakia’s Prime Minister Robert Fico said, as quoted by the Sme daily.
According to the EUobserver internet daily, EC President Jean-Claude Juncker and his team have already discussed about 50 proposals of nominees for the EC posts. The commissioner who will receive the agenda of neighbourhood policy and EU enlargement will deal mostly with three countries that are interested in joining the EU: Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine. In addition to these, there are also the countries of the western Balkans and Turkey.
However, no new countries are expected to join the EU in the next five years, TASR wrote.
The commissioner, according to EurActiv, will also be responsible for the Ukrainian crisis and relations with eastern Europe, north Africa and the Middle East. He or she will most likely have to coordinate his or her steps with the new High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Federica Mogherini.
Source: TASR, Sme
Compiled by Radka Minarechová from press reports
The Slovak Spectator cannot vouch for the accuracy of the information presented in its Flash News postings.
