Smerkolj, otherwise serving as development minister, is in charge of the Finance Ministry until Mramor's successor is found.

Prime Minister Miro Cerar said at the end of last month he expected to find a candidate in the second half of this month.

According to the daily Dnevnik, Mramor's successor is to be presented to the public in early September.

Finance Ministry State Secretary Mateja Vraničar Erman has been tipped by the media as one of the potential candidates, along with economist Mojmir Mrak, whose name has come up with concern to ministerial appointments several times before.

According to Dnevnik's sources, Vraničar Erman has already told Cerar she was willing to take up the post.

The EIB Board of Governors features ministers designated by each of the 28 member states, usually finance ministers.

It lays down credit policy guidelines, approves the annual accounts and balance sheet, and decides on the bank's participation in financing operations outside the EU as well as on capital increases. It also appoints the members of the Board of Directors, the Management Committee and the Audit Committee.

Slovenia became an EIB member and stockholder in May 2004, when it joined the EU.