Talking to the press in Brussels before heading for Ypres for the European Council's commemoration of World War I on Thursday, Pahor said that the document "was a minimal consensus about what the EU should do in the next five years to restart growth, create jobs and boost prosperity".

Pahor believes that there is one significant shortcoming in the strategic plan - the lack of an institutional reform needed to achieve the set goals.

He said that the priorities proposed in the document reflected the weakness of the proponent, the outgoing European Council President Herman Van Rompuy, of whom Pahor is very fond.

Before leaving Brussels for Ypres as part of the EU summit, Pahor also said that Slovenia would welcome Juncker as European Commission president.

He described the former Luxembourg prime minister as an experienced, moderate and courageous politician who understands small countries.

"What many criticise about him - 20 years of experience in the executive - is an advantage rather than a weakness," Pahor underlined.

He added that support for Juncker has already been expressed by Slovenia's Prime Minister Alenka Bratušek, who will arrive in Brussels for the EU summit tomorrow to discuss the nominees for the new Commission president for the next five years.

Pahor moreover said that Slovenia's candidate for European commissioner should be a person with broad support. He said he would launch talks on the issue with political parties after the 13 July general election.

"It is essential that in this situation, without a full-fledged government, we select somebody who has sufficient authority and support even with a change in government."