Slovenian candidate for European Commissioner Tomaj Vessel has withdrawn his candidacy, and Prime Minister Robert Golob has accepted his withdrawal, according to a message on the website of the Slovenian government, dariknews.bg reported.
Vesel, who is the former chairman of the Slovenian Audit Office, has informed the prime minister that he made the decision to step down after a conversation with the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, from which it became clear that they had different opinions on the composition of the future European Commission. commission.
“I decided to accept the nomination with sincere intentions in favor of Slovenia. However, President von der Leyen and I do not share the same view of how the European Commission should work. Therefore, I have decided to withdraw my candidacy for the good of the Republic of Slovenia,” states Vessel, quoted in the message.
Prime Minister Golob has accepted Vesel's resignation and has already held talks with the coalition partners on the appointment of a new candidate for European Commissioner.
The government will decide on Slovenia's new MEP candidate on Monday.
Von der Leyen stepped up pressure on certain countries to replace their male candidates with women in order to have a gender balance in the new European Commission. Currently, out of a total of 26 nominees, nine are women, Politico notes.
The reversal comes just three days after the Slovenian government stood behind its candidate Vesel, refusing to nominate another in his place. On Monday, Romania nominated Roxana Manzatou as its next European Commissioner after the August 31 deadline and after there was initially a proposal for a man for this post, the publication recalls.
Vesel, who is the former chairman of the Slovenian Audit Office, has informed the prime minister that he made the decision to step down after a conversation with the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, from which it became clear that they had different opinions on the composition of the future European Commission. commission.
“I decided to accept the nomination with sincere intentions in favor of Slovenia. However, President von der Leyen and I do not share the same view of how the European Commission should work. Therefore, I have decided to withdraw my candidacy for the good of the Republic of Slovenia,” states Vessel, quoted in the message.
Prime Minister Golob has accepted Vesel's resignation and has already held talks with the coalition partners on the appointment of a new candidate for European Commissioner.
The government will decide on Slovenia's new MEP candidate on Monday.
Von der Leyen stepped up pressure on certain countries to replace their male candidates with women in order to have a gender balance in the new European Commission. Currently, out of a total of 26 nominees, nine are women, Politico notes.
The reversal comes just three days after the Slovenian government stood behind its candidate Vesel, refusing to nominate another in his place. On Monday, Romania nominated Roxana Manzatou as its next European Commissioner after the August 31 deadline and after there was initially a proposal for a man for this post, the publication recalls.