The formal nomination of Slovenia's new candidate to serve on the next European Commission appears to have reached a deadlock due to a stand-off between the government and the opposition that has already caused a delay in the unveiling of the new commission.

The government confirmed former diplomat Marta Kos as a new candidate on 9 September after the initial one, former Court of Audit president Tomaž Vesel, withdrew his bid, allegedly after Slovenia was pressured to change its candidate by Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.

Before the government can formally put forward the new candidate, Kos needs to undergo a hearing before the National Assembly's EU Affairs Committee, which is chaired by the opposition. The committee gives its opinion on the candidate, which is not binding on the government.

Von der Leyen was expected to unveil the new Commission line-up and the distribution of portfolios on 11 September, but since Slovenia has not concluded the appointment process yet, the unveiling was postponed to 17 September.

Progress hinging on alleged letter

There had been hopes that the session could take place on 13 September, but the committee chair, Democrat (SDS) Franc Breznik is refusing to call it until he receives the documents he asked for to shed light on why the government swapped the candidate.

He asked the government for Vesel's resignation letter, which he has received, as well as a letter that media reported von der Leyen sent to Prime Minister Robert Golob on 5 September in which she allegedly demanded a new name.

While not saying whether such a letter existed or not, both the Commission and PM Golob have been insisting that they never comment on confidential communication and would not in this case.

Breznik, appearing in a current affairs talk show on the public broadcaster RTV Slovenija on 12 September, said he could not call the session to hear Kos until he received all the required documents.

He said he had written to von der Leyen asking her for the letter. Earlier in the week fellow party member, MEP Milan Zver requested the Commission release all documents concerning the Slovenian commissioner appointment, including the letter.

On the talk show, the RTV Slovenija team said they obtained the letter from sources in Brussels. While they did not show it, they said the letter showed von der Leyen not only demanded that Vesel withdraw but also set 11 September, the original date planned for the portfolio presentation, as the deadline for the swap.

Allegations against new candidate

The talk show, called Tarča, was suggesting that Slovenia's sovereignty was undermined, wondering why Golob agreed to change the candidate and whether he caved in under pressure or whether he had been promised something in return.

Two of the guests on the show, MEP Matjaž Nemec of the Social Democrats (SD/S&D), and Klemen Grošelj, the ruling party's member of the European Parliament (MEP) in the previous term, said the delay allegedly caused by the situation in Slovenia suited von der Leyen well because she faced serious problems on other fronts with Nemec saying the latest news was that commissioner candidate hearings in the European Parliament would be postponed until 4 November.

The question raised was also whether Kos would get the necessary support in the European Parliament. The Slovenian members of the European People's Party (EPP), the group that von der Leyen belongs to, have announced they will not back Kos.

The head of the Slovenian delegation to the EPP, Romana Tomc, who comes from the SDS, the same party as Breznik and former prime minister Janez Janša, argued Kos lacked the executive experience for the job. She also accused her of having had ties to Yugoslav-era secret police and of ending her term as ambassador to Switzerland prematurely due to allegations of bullying.

Kos has denied the allegations in the strongest terms, telling Euronews that she had been "vetted by the security services in both countries" before becoming Slovenia's ambassador to Germany and Switzerland. "I got my approval without any problems. If I were ever to harm Slovenia's interests, I would not be able to work in the Slovenian government or be an ambassador," she said.