Quizzed about the possibility of taking over a post in the new government cabinet, the environment commissioner told the STA he had only discussed the commissioner post with the Miro Cerar Party (SMC) which had endorsed him.

Potočnik, who had declined being on a list of several candidates and is not among the three sent by the outgoing Alenka Bratušek government to European Commission President-elect Jean-Claude Juncker, said his position had not changed, which means he "would be ready to seriously consider" if Cerar again proposes him.

Cerar announced last week he would write to Juncker or his cabinet as a priority if gets appointed PM-designate today over the selection of Slovenia's candidates, which include Bratušek herself, outgoing Foreign Minister Karl Erjavec and SocDem MEP Tanja Fajon.

Based on the reactions, the SMC will assess whether the selection had been contentious in any way and respond accordingly.

If the new government is able to repeat the procedure there is a chance that Potočnik is put forward for a third consecutive term, Cerar indicated.

While Bratušek has been subject to strong criticism in Slovenia and relegated to the opposition over nominating herself, foreign diplomatic sources in Brussels have told the STA that Juncker wanted Slovenia to nominate Bratušek, also as a means of filling the female quota on the Commission.