Trop Skaza currently heads the Celje branch of the National Public Health Institute where she has worked for over 20 years.

Facing the formidable task of setting in motion the long-overdue reform of Slovenia's healthcare system, she has already made it clear that a major reform cannot be expected within a year, that is roughly until the next regular election due in autumn 2015.

The nominee has however indicated that she would push for minor yet consequential changes.

Samo Fakin, the boss of the health purse manager ZZZS, feels that Trop Skaza has the right expertise for the job, describing her as hard-working and intelligent.

FIDES president Konrad Kuštrin described the nominee as very sober about the situation in healthcare, adding that he expected her to "create the conditions in which she can actually do something".

"If she gets the parties to respect the terms she sets for her job to be successful, she will be successful and we'll stand by her," he said.

Indeed, her predecessor at the Health Ministry Tomaž Gantar stepped down in November, citing a lack of political will to push through the much-needed reforms.

Alongside Metod Dragonja and Gorazd Žmavc, Trop Skaza was put forward last week as part of a government reshuffle that coincided with the signing of a new coalition agreement until the end of the term of the Alenka Bratušek government.

Dragonja and Žmavc are to become the new economic development and technology minister and the minister without portfolio for Slovenians abroad, respectively.

Parliament is expected to convene a plenary on Thursday to relieve the outgoing Minister for Slovenians Abroad Tina Komel of her duties and is widely believed to also vote on the new ministers.