The nomination process of Marta Kos for the position of European Commissioner will be looked into by the Commission for the Prevention of Corruption (KPK). Following a complaint concerning the nomination procedure itself, the Commission has launched a preliminary examination procedure.
The nomination of the former ambassador took place after the first candidate, Tomaž Vesel, “was resigned”, albeit only after a letter from the President of the European Commission, who had rejected Vesel as a candidate, arrived in Ljubljana from Brussels.
The Prime Minister had apparently lied to the entire Slovenian public beforehand that Slovenia was not facing any pressure from Brussels, and neither was Tomaž Vesel. The Prime Minister’s lies were only exposed by the disclosure of the content of the letter addressed to him by the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, which we have already reported on.
The replacement of Vesel by Kos has upset a significant part of the public. Not only has her career been burdened by allegations of misconduct at two embassies, in Berlin and Bern, but there is also evidence in the public domain that she was a source for the Directorate for State Security of Yugoslavia or UDBA years ago. In addition, the foreign media have also reported on her pro-Russia views, which she expressed shortly after Russia’s attack on Ukraine, and on her work for a lobbying company.
The Commission for the Prevention of Corruption is requesting documentation
The Commission for the Prevention of Corruption is now requesting the Committee on EU Affairs to provide it with all the documentation it has received from the government regarding the appointment of Marta Kos.
The uncertain fate of the Slovenian candidate?
We recently reported that Kos’s candidacy could end badly. This week, the European People’s Party (EPP) is holding study days in Naples, where the candidates for Commissioners will also be discussed. Political analyst Sebastjan Jeretič told our media outlet that Kos’s political weakness probably makes her the ideal candidate in the eyes of the European Commission President, who wants a weak Commission to make it easier to govern. However, Kos enjoys much less sympathy in the EPP, and there is also discontent in the Socialist camp, where they are unhappy with the way the Commission posts have been cut.
Ž. K.
