The spokesperson of the European People's Party (EPP) said at press conference in the European Parliament in Brussels that the EPP had no official position on Bratušek as candidate yet and that the EPP would wait for the hearing.

Representatives of the European Parliament political groups expressed reservations regarding some members of the new line-up of the European Commission proposed by its president-elect Jean-Claude Juncker, but Bratušek was not mentioned.

Asked whether there are some doubts regarding Bratušek's candidacy, representatives of the EPP and the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats (S&D) said that some MEPs had certain remarks, but that the political groups as a whole had no official position.

EPP's Pedro Lopez said that while the Slovenian EPP members are against the nomination of Bratušek, the EPP will wait for the hearing as it works under the principle in dubio pro reo (when in doubt, for the accused).

S&D spokesperson Utta Tuttlies added that several members of the group had serious remarks about this nomination, but added that this was not the official position of the S&D. The group will analyse the hearings of the candidates on the basis of fundamental principles, she added.

A detailed schedule of the hearings before the relevant committees of the European Parliament will be announced next week. Hearings will take place between 29 September and 7 October, while the vote on the Commission as a whole is expected to be held on 22 October.