Slovenia's commissioner-designate for enlargement, Marta Kos, described a bigger and reformed EU as a strategic imperative and support for Ukraine as an absolute priority as she set out her vision at the hearing before the EU Parliament's Committee on Foreign Affairs in Brussels on 7 November. Unofficially, she passed the hearing.

"Now more than ever, a larger and reformed EU is a strategic imperative - in our very own interest," Kos said in her presentation before taking questions from committee members.

"A larger and reformed EU means a stronger voice in international and global affairs. It means more economic and social progress benefiting more Europeans. It means a more stable, safe and secure Union in a challenging world."

Kos vowed that if confirmed her primary objective would be to support candidate countries navigate their paths to EU membership; "Enlargement is a marathon, not a sprint".

Merit-based enlargement process

She promised to ensure that the enlargement process remains "fully merit-based" and that enlargement countries respect the undertaken commitments and reforms.

"I will not hesitate to propose corrective measures in case of serious or prolonged stagnation or backsliding," she pledged.

The third pillar of her approach to enlargement would be the principle "more for more", meaning that "those who do undertake the necessary reforms should reap the benefits of their efforts and move forward towards accession" and "the gradual integration of our partners into key sectors of the EU single market" can be then facilitated.

She added that the EU could facilitate the gradual integration of its partners into those key sectors using the existing financial instruments to support Ukraine, Moldova and Western Balkan countries.

"Reconciliation and regional cooperation are essential elements of the enlargement process to the Western Balkans. If confirmed, I will engage more in addressing bilateral issues and facilitating solutions."

In her answers to questions from political group coordinators, she underscored that only the countries that closed all negotiating chapters can join the EU. "If we want to really be consistent, and I think we should be consistent, then we have to take care of the integrity of the enlargement process."

She assessed that accession negotiations with Montenegro could be wrapped up by the end of 2026 and with Albania by the end of 2027.

Supporting Ukraine absolute priority

Regarding Ukraine, the former diplomat said: "For me, supporting Ukraine and pushing back against Russia's aggression is an absolute priority - politically, economically, financially, using our entire EU toolbox."

She will strive to work closely with Kyiv on the country's accession efforts and plans to travel to Ukraine first thing if she is confirmed.

"Our economic, military and political support is not helping only Ukrainians, but is defending Europe as a continent and even more. It is protecting the global world order based on international law and multilateralism."

She believes Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has been right in saying that "enlargement should be a catalyst for progress on EU reforms". Together with her commissioner colleagues, Kos intends to engage in the pre-enlargement policy reviews.

Kos, a former Slovenian ambassador to Germany and Switzerland who addressed committee members in Slovenian, German and English, sees a positive side to the victory of Donald Trump in the US presidential elections.

"I see a positive side of this result of the elections, because I think we should make more out of what Europe is based on, on the values ... the economy is important, but without the values, perhaps we will be the last part in the world who is really defending the values and this is important more than ever."

Kos denies being informant for former secret police

Kos denied the allegations of having been a collaborator of the former Yugoslav secret police, related to a list of thousands of names allegedly linked to what was known as UDBA.

Andras Laszlo of Patriots for Europe accused her of being the worst kind of Communist, "those who oppressed their people, then rebranded themselves as Democrats and returned to public life .... You may claim ignorance. But the courts have proved that you were a member of UDBA."

"I have never been, informed or worked for the secret service of Yugoslavia, which is not UDBA. UDBA was dissolved in 1966, and at that time I was one year old. So if you speak about the secret service, it was SDV," she said of a service largely seen as a successor to UDBA.

"I am on the list. I do not know how I came there. At that time I was a student and I was then working in Germany for the German radio station Voice of Germany, Deutsche Welle," she said, adding that the names on the list had been abused.

She said the list contained thousands of names, including high-profile people. "I will not speak about their names because I don't believe that they were collaborators. But I cannot speak in their name. I can speak in my name. I was never a collaborator of the SDV."

Kos also rejected allegations by the Slovenian MEP Milan Zver (EPP/SDS) that she belonged to the circle of former President Milan Kučan and Ljubljana Mayor Zoran Janković, who Zver said were close to Russian President Vladimir Putin.

"I don't belong to anybody accept a little to my husband," she responded to Zver, and said in an answer to another MEP that her personal integrity was very important to her and she would not want it to be undermined by misinformation.

Productive hearing

Speaking to reporters after, Kos described the hearing as productive, with questions focused on the enlargement portfolio. She did not think "there were more questions about me and my background than about the content." Se added: "If MEPs are to give me the green light, it is only fair they ask what they are interested in."

In response to a journalist's question on how she would step into the shoes of outgoing Enlargement Commissioner Oliver Varhelyi, she said: "I have my own shoes, and I will walk in them."

The new Commission team needs to receive approval from the European Parliament in a plenary session, with the vote set for late November. If approved, the new Commission could start its work on 1 December.