Ljubljana - The government has appointed Robert Repnik, a professor of physics, director of the Slovenian Research Agency, the body in charge of disbursing public funding for scientific research. His term is five years.

Repnik is a professor of physics at the University of Maribor's Faculty of Science and Mathematics. His research focuses on the physics of liquid crystals and didactics in physics, the Government Communications Office said on Thursday.

The term of the previous director, Jozsef Györkös, ended in April. He had been picked by the agency's management board as the most suitable candidate but was not confirmed by the previous government and decided not to apply again.

Györkös faced pushback from two education trade unions, VSS and SVIZ, who accused him of institutionalised corruption and unserious attitude to researchers.