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He is leaving the Commission offices with fond memories but also with a slightly bitter aftertaste of the recent complications related to Slovenia's commissioner nominations.

Potočnik intends to remain in Brussels. "I want to remain dedicated to sustainable development in the broadest sense of the word both in Europe and internationally."

"I want to stay in Brussels because this is doable here and because in the decade I spent here I met many people I respect and trust and for whom I know that they appreciate my work and trust me."

"I've heard many nice things in the past few weeks and it is good to know that your work left a mark and created friendships," Potočnik said.

When asked why he did not decide to enter national politics, Potočnik said he never became active in a political party because that entails "too much of what I cannot stand: poor relationships, stigmatisation, polarisation at any cost and populism".

He labelled the decade he spent in Brussels as a period of "trials, quests and uncertainty" that tested the EU's stability. It was "a decade of resolving the crisis". The EU took a lot of steps in the right direction, but they were too slow, he said.

"The main issues were the willingness of the south for reforms and the willingness of the north to help," said the former commissioner.

Assessing his work as environment commissioner, Potočnik said that the greatest "value added lies in the field of linking economic issues and environment protection".

As regards his time as science and research commissioner, Potočnik pointed to several achievements, listing as the first the "strategic goal to strengthen the European research space and establish the European Research Council, which produced several Nobel Prize winners after only a few years".

In the interview, Potočnik also addressed some of the criticism expressed against him in the past years, including that linked to high pay, construction of a new generator at TEŠ power plant and standing on the sidelines in the border dispute with Croatia.

Potočnik said that all commissioners have to live with the criticism that their salary is too high. "Salaries in the European Commission and other European and international institutions are high for a reason."

As regards the EUR 1.4bn project of TEŠ6, a new generator at Šoštanj thermal power plant, the former environment commissioner said that it was a poor strategic decision. "I've tried to say this in a more or less clear way several times but sometimes I was not heard."

He rejected accusations about being passive in the resolving of Slovenia's border dispute with Croatia, saying he took an active part in the process.

"I would like to express gratitude for the trust displayed by the then President Danilo Türk and my colleague responsible for enlargement, Olli Rehn. I tried to help in finding a solution suitable for both countries."

Touching on the cooperation with Slovenian governments over the past decade, Potočnik said that cooperation with the cabinets and Slovenia's mission in Brussels had always been good.

"Let me add that none of the governments or prime ministers exerted any pressure on me, for which I am grateful. This was also one of the reasons that I was able to do the job in line with the ethical standards expected."

Touching on the structural overhaul of the incoming Jean-Claude Juncker Commission, Potočnik said that the intention to exceed the "silo mentality" was good but reserved judgement until results can be seen.

Touching on the future of the environment department, which has been taken over by Commissioner for Environment, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Karmenu Vella, Potočnik said that a letter from Juncker to Vella questions some key guidelines of the former Commission.

"The new commissioner has his work cut out for him and he will have to show a lot of determination. I would advise him to do this and to continue with the key guidelines set down during the last term," said Potočnik.

He believes that Slovenia's new Commissioner Violeta Bulc, who is in charge of transport, got a "very good department; it is concrete enough so that she will be able to leave her mark with hard work".

Potočnik said that he was doing his best to help her settle in and that he will always be available to her for advice. "The Commission maze is anything but simple, and the trust of colleagues can only be earned with hard and honest work."

Touching on the strength of the European Commission, Potočnik said that the body is only as strong as member states allow. The Delors Commission, considered the strongest in EU history, "was strong because its president was strong and because the situation was such as to favour a strong Commission".

"The then German Chancellor Helmut Kohl and French President Francois Mitterand wanted such a Commission," said Potočnik, who believes a strong Commission is good above all for the small member states, whose powers are weaker than those of big countries in all EU institutions but the Commission.