The MPs are to vote on the two candidates later today.

Presenting the Social Democrats (SD) deputy Katič, Cerar pointed to her managerial and administrative experience in the municipality of Velenje, where she was a member of different bodies dealing with local government, education and economy.

The PM noted that the 45-year-old had also cooperated with the Velenje civil protection centre and praised her work as an MP and a deputy speaker of the National Assembly. As a years-long member of the SD she also has important political experience, he added.

Katič accepted the invitation to become defence minister with responsibility, and if appointed minister, she will actively work on providing stability of the defence system, according to Cerar.

What is more, the candidate has put an emphasis on ensuring that the Slovenian Armed Forces are ready to respond to changes in the international security environment and improving the responsiveness of the search and rescue system.

Presenting university professor Makovec Brenčič as the candidate for minister of education, science and sport, Cerar said that she had been a vice-chancellor of the Ljubljana University, and pointing to her international activity.

Makovec Brenčič, 45, was a member of and also chaired the National Agency for the Quality of Higher Education (NAKVIS) and was a vice-dean of the Ljubljana Faculty of Economics, Cerar stressed.

The candidate thus knows how to provide a quality education and follow development trends in education and science, also internationally, and promotes all "what we need at this moment to develop education".

According to Cerar, Makovec Brenčič has a number of constructive ideas and a vision how to connect science and higher education with the economy. She also wants to make learning environments more flexible and improve training of education workers.

The candidate is set to replace Klavdija Markež, who resigned at the beginning of April just days after appointment over the allegation that her master's thesis was plagiarised.

Markež had succeed Stanka Setnikar Cankar, who stepped down after the revelation she had made EUR 636,000 on the side since 2003 through contractual work for the Faculty of Administration, where she was a tenured professor and three-term dean.

Andreja Katič is meanwhile to replace Janko Veber, who was dismissed by parliament in early April for ordering the military intelligence to analyse the implications of the planned sale of telecoms provider Telekom Slovenije to a foreign buyer.

Cerar emphasised today that the candidate's opinion was that the military intelligence and security service must operate within the legislative framework and be subjected to constant parliamentary supervision.