While the news about Kacin has been recently broken by TV Slovenija, Večer quotes an unofficial source on Saturday saying that Kacin's appointment has already been agreed upon by PM Miro Cerar and Foreign Minister Karl Erjavec.

What is more, the approval has also been secured from President Borut Pahor, who signs a relevant decree on ambassadorial appointment.

The Foreign Ministry has not confirmed the news for Večer, saying that appointment procedures had not been completed yet.

The daily speculates that Kacin will get the job for having successfully lobbied for Violeta Bulc becoming Slovenia's European commissioner last year.

The news about Kacin has angered the trade union of diplomats, which traditionally opposes rewarding politicians with ambassadorial posts.

Its president Stanislav Sikošek told Večer that ambassadorial posts are increasingly becoming "a political prey".

Kacin, who will turn 60 this year, failed to get re-elected in 2014 for what would be his third five-year term as Slovenia's member of the European Parliament.

He served as defence minister between 1994 and 1997 after he made he made his name and became known to the general public as information minister during the 1991 independence war.

Changes at 17 ambassadorial posts and three consuls general are planned for this year, including in Zagreb, Rome, Belgrade and Beijing.

Večer reports that ten appointments are about to be finalised, but a call for applications will be repeated for some others, including Zagreb and Belgrade.

While ex-MP of the Social Democrats (SD) and later Positive Slovenia (PS) Janja Klasinc is vying for the post in Belgrade, ex People's Party (SLS) MP Franc Pukšič is a candidate for consul general in Cleveland, US, according to Večer.

The daily also says that several posts have already been fully agree on: Alain Brain Bergant will become ambassador to Brazil, State Secretary at the Foreign Ministry Bogdan Benko will take over in Rome, Foreign Ministry's political director Igor Jukič in Ankara, Simona Leskovar in Tokyo and Ambassador to Hungary Jadranka Šturm Kocjan will go to Buenos Aires.