Ljubljana - The Pirate Party will endorse lawyer Nataša Pirc Musar in the 23 October presidential election under a decision taken by this non-parliamentary party in Saturday's congress.

Announcing the decision in a press release, the party said Pirc Musar, a former information commissioner, had been battling for the Pirate Party's core values and for individuals' information literacy through her work.

"Transparency, defending the right to information, protecting the right to privacy, protecting whistleblowers, freedom of speech and other fundamental human rights are the core values of the Pirate Party", which the party said in Slovenia were best "personified" by Pirc Musar.

They say that as information commissioner Pirc Musar defended high standards of data privacy protection and freedom of information of interest to the public. She also defended human rights internationally against excessive abuse by security agencies, they said.

They believe that as president she would defend the rule of law, basic human rights and welfare state. "With her expertise and political independence she will enhance the office of president as an independent pillar of power and restore the reputation it deserves," they said.

Pirc Musar welcomed the support in a press release saying she shared a similar beliefs and system of values with the Pirate Party and supported their platform points on "human rights, privacy and data protection, a free and neutral internet, and transparency of state and politics".

The Pirate Party won 1.63% of the vote in the April general election.

Pric Musar's bid has been backed by several prominent individuals, including former presidents Milan Kučan and Danilo Türk. She will run as an independent, which means she needs to collect 5,000 voter signatures in support of her bid.