WEBVTT

00:00:07.640 --> 00:00:10.683
Hello.
Matej Arčon will present you

00:00:10.804 --> 00:00:13.369
the decision
from the Government's session

00:00:13.490 --> 00:00:16.580
where they talked about the candidate
for the European Commission.

00:00:16.700 --> 00:00:20.870
Go ahead.
-Thank you. Dear journalists,

00:00:20.990 --> 00:00:25.880
the guessing is over.
Today, the Government

00:00:26.180 --> 00:00:28.640
unanimously confirmed,

00:00:29.090 --> 00:00:31.729
without a vote against,

00:00:31.850 --> 00:00:37.160
to nominate Marta Kos
for our European Commissioner.

00:00:39.710 --> 00:00:46.960
We sent the nomination
to the Parliament

00:00:47.480 --> 00:00:55.070
that will give its opinion,
which is not binding,

00:00:55.190 --> 00:01:00.320
and then the Government will again,
at the correspondence session,

00:01:00.493 --> 00:01:05.120
confirm the candidacy.

00:01:07.420 --> 00:01:10.600
Now, you can ask questions.
First here.

00:01:10.720 --> 00:01:13.080
Raise your hand
and introduce yourself.

00:01:13.201 --> 00:01:16.040
Anže Božič
and then Aleš Gaube.

00:01:16.270 --> 00:01:18.040
Go ahead.

00:01:18.610 --> 00:01:22.400
I am interested
in two things.

00:01:23.230 --> 00:01:27.534
Considering the complications
with Mr. Vesel,

00:01:27.655 --> 00:01:32.920
do you have any guarantee
from Brussels that this time,

00:01:33.040 --> 00:01:36.130
with a female candidate, which
the Commission President wanted,

00:01:36.250 --> 00:01:39.680
things will go more smoothly?
And about the department.

00:01:39.820 --> 00:01:41.769
The Department for Enlargement
is being mentioned.

00:01:41.890 --> 00:01:44.920
Is this what Slovenia wants?

00:01:45.760 --> 00:01:51.939
We have no guarantee.
The President makes the decision

00:01:52.060 --> 00:01:56.260
and she can refuse
the candidate

00:01:56.380 --> 00:01:58.109
and does not send
them into procedure.

00:01:58.230 --> 00:02:04.689
Then, the Parliament's departments
need to confirm them

00:02:04.810 --> 00:02:08.886
where it has already happened

00:02:09.007 --> 00:02:12.472
that candidates were refused.
We have no guarantee

00:02:12.593 --> 00:02:16.939
of the end result,
but the talks

00:02:17.060 --> 00:02:22.880
between the parties
have been going on.

00:02:23.380 --> 00:02:28.934
We will know which department we got
on Wednesday when the President

00:02:29.055 --> 00:02:33.609
will announce them.

00:02:33.730 --> 00:02:35.600
Do you expect enlargement?

00:02:36.072 --> 00:02:39.720
We expect a good department.

00:02:40.150 --> 00:02:44.360
We would be happy
with enlargement.

00:02:44.440 --> 00:02:47.320
Aleš Gaube, Dnevnik.
To the microphone, please.

00:02:48.610 --> 00:02:52.240
How did you present

00:02:52.360 --> 00:02:58.680
the candidacy
to your coalition partners

00:02:58.785 --> 00:03:00.547
and why was it necessary?

00:03:00.913 --> 00:03:06.880
The Prime Minister
was leading

00:03:08.390 --> 00:03:11.340
the procedure
of finding a candidate

00:03:11.461 --> 00:03:13.940
and he also met
with the coalition

00:03:14.060 --> 00:03:19.670
on Friday. Until today, we
have been thinking about candidates.

00:03:19.790 --> 00:03:24.890
The Prime Minister informed
the other two presidents

00:03:25.010 --> 00:03:29.673
of Marta Kos's candidacy

00:03:29.794 --> 00:03:33.120
and that she agreed to it.

00:03:33.740 --> 00:03:39.920
Today and tomorrow,
she will be available

00:03:40.280 --> 00:03:43.680
for a personal presentation.

00:03:44.300 --> 00:03:47.239
Rok Šuligoj, TV Slovenija.
-Rok Šuligoj, TV Slovenija.

00:03:47.360 --> 00:03:50.390
I want to know
the background.

00:03:50.510 --> 00:03:55.670
How did you get to Marta Kos
considering the history

00:03:55.790 --> 00:03:58.978
between her
and the Freedom Movement?

00:03:59.099 --> 00:04:02.642
The candidate
for the Commissioner

00:04:02.763 --> 00:04:08.320
distanced herself from
the party and its principles.

00:04:09.410 --> 00:04:13.150
The interests of Slovenia

00:04:13.270 --> 00:04:17.170
and the qualities of the candidate,
which Marta Kos has,

00:04:17.290 --> 00:04:21.521
should be put first.
You cannot build your future

00:04:21.642 --> 00:04:27.820
on resentment.
We recognised and I am sure

00:04:27.948 --> 00:04:31.341
most Slovenians
will recognise that Marta Kos

00:04:31.461 --> 00:04:34.200
is a good Commissioner.

00:04:37.849 --> 00:04:39.520
Siol.

00:04:40.750 --> 00:04:45.411
Gašper Lubej, Siol.net.
You were not happy.

00:04:45.532 --> 00:04:50.320
You said the situation
is uncomfortable.

00:04:50.800 --> 00:04:53.139
Why did you think so?

00:04:53.260 --> 00:04:55.570
Probably because it was
at the last moment.

00:04:55.690 --> 00:05:00.273
How do you comment the criticism
that this is a disgrace?

00:05:00.394 --> 00:05:02.410
No.
I do not know where you sensed

00:05:02.590 --> 00:05:04.778
my dissatisfaction.

00:05:05.020 --> 00:05:09.310
We were not happy
that we found ourselves

00:05:09.430 --> 00:05:12.319
in this situation,
but when this happens,

00:05:12.440 --> 00:05:17.320
you have to react
appropriately and responsibly

00:05:17.566 --> 00:05:20.200
which we did.

00:05:21.330 --> 00:05:22.979
A disgrace for Slovenia.

00:05:23.100 --> 00:05:30.750
I cannot agree with those

00:05:30.870 --> 00:05:32.507
who call this a disgrace.

00:05:32.628 --> 00:05:34.230
This is a normal procedure

00:05:34.350 --> 00:05:38.240
for every candidacy
for a certain position.

00:05:39.390 --> 00:05:44.760
Tomaž Vesel is a decent human being
and he showed

00:05:44.880 --> 00:05:52.139
his greatness
when he saw that his views

00:05:52.260 --> 00:05:57.473
do not coincide
with the President's

00:05:57.567 --> 00:06:01.610
and Parliament's
and he made it possible

00:06:01.770 --> 00:06:06.176
for Slovenia to submit
a nomination for a candidate.

00:06:06.550 --> 00:06:12.603
Even though a candidate of some
other country won't be approved

00:06:12.930 --> 00:06:17.083
in the parliament,
I don't see it as a failure,

00:06:17.197 --> 00:06:21.070
but as a set of circumstances.

00:06:21.617 --> 00:06:24.017
STA
-Sonja Poznič Cvetko, STA.

00:06:24.203 --> 00:06:28.270
I would like to know, what kind
of experience has Ms. Marta Kos.

00:06:28.396 --> 00:06:31.917
The President of the European
Commission was critical,

00:06:32.063 --> 00:06:36.330
because Tomaž Vesel
doesn't have experience in politics.

00:06:36.483 --> 00:06:42.337
How good a candidate
is Marta Kos in your opinion?

00:06:43.137 --> 00:06:46.357
I believe Marta Kos
is a very good candidate,

00:06:46.537 --> 00:06:52.663
she has all necessary skills
that the President expressed

00:06:52.830 --> 00:06:56.550
and announced.
She knows Slovenian politics,

00:06:56.637 --> 00:07:00.363
after all, she was
the head of this office, UKOM.

00:07:01.590 --> 00:07:05.857
She was also a successful
diplomat in Germany and Switzerland,

00:07:06.010 --> 00:07:11.350
which means she knows, how important
it is to have connections

00:07:11.577 --> 00:07:16.177
and establish relations
in European Union.

00:07:17.070 --> 00:07:20.890
We are moving to Zoom.
Lucija Kavčič, Demokracija.

00:07:21.050 --> 00:07:22.650
Go ahead.

00:07:22.830 --> 00:07:27.557
Hello. I have a question,
why the coalition

00:07:27.670 --> 00:07:34.023
when selecting a candidate
has not consulted with SDS

00:07:34.403 --> 00:07:41.017
that was a winner of the
European election in Slovenia.

00:07:41.383 --> 00:07:49.010
It was pointed out that the candidate
doesn't have enough experience

00:07:49.323 --> 00:07:52.277
on the European stage

00:07:52.843 --> 00:07:55.330
and she has a contentious past.

00:07:55.590 --> 00:08:00.210
Wasn't it politically exclusive

00:08:00.363 --> 00:08:03.843
that coalition hasn't consulted
with SDS from opposition

00:08:04.223 --> 00:08:08.130
regarding the candidate?

00:08:10.537 --> 00:08:12.937
Okay. This is enough.
Thank you.

00:08:13.570 --> 00:08:16.503
The procedure
is completely clear.

00:08:17.570 --> 00:08:20.257
The Prime Minister proposes

00:08:21.790 --> 00:08:25.830
a nomination at a government meeting
and a candidate introduces oneself

00:08:26.097 --> 00:08:30.440
to the opposition
and individual political parties.

00:08:30.843 --> 00:08:35.770
It can be done separately
or within a competent committee.

00:08:36.577 --> 00:08:41.890
I believe that Marta Kos
can communicate well and decently,

00:08:42.017 --> 00:08:43.717
which is important.

00:08:43.830 --> 00:08:49.217
She was an ambassador
in two important Member States

00:08:49.490 --> 00:08:55.543
and she meets all the criteria
of the President of the Commission.

00:08:55.690 --> 00:08:59.963
Anže Božič.
-Just a sub-question about this.

00:09:00.190 --> 00:09:05.023
Do you expect that opposition
will support the second candidate?

00:09:05.250 --> 00:09:10.023
We saw, how it was the first time.
The opposition didn't block

00:09:10.203 --> 00:09:13.050
the nomination of Mr. Vesel.
What do you expect now?

00:09:13.403 --> 00:09:18.603
We expect positive opinions
of most of the members.

00:09:20.143 --> 00:09:25.897
I also expect the convening
of a committee today or tomorrow,

00:09:26.010 --> 00:09:30.803
so we can align
the introduction of a candidate

00:09:30.943 --> 00:09:33.863
and a department
on Wednesday.

00:09:35.017 --> 00:09:41.883
Mainly, because I find it important
to be responsible

00:09:42.337 --> 00:09:48.090
and that Slovenia accomplishes it
on Wednesday or sends

00:09:48.397 --> 00:09:54.430
the nomination of a candidate
with opinions and validation

00:09:54.777 --> 00:09:56.483
of the government.

00:09:56.650 --> 00:10:00.237
I see your question:
"What, if it's not so?"

00:10:00.450 --> 00:10:05.003
On Wednesday we will just
introduce the departments.

00:10:05.150 --> 00:10:09.817
We can send a name
after Wednesday as well.

00:10:09.990 --> 00:10:14.330
The selection procedure
in the European Parliament

00:10:15.057 --> 00:10:19.797
will begin only when the President
has the whole team.

00:10:20.837 --> 00:10:23.477
Rok Šuligoj.
I have a few sub-questions.

00:10:24.147 --> 00:10:28.513
Have the Prime Minister and President
of the European Commission

00:10:28.620 --> 00:10:31.573
talked about this candidate?

00:10:31.700 --> 00:10:39.163
After all, in the last place
of Ursula Von der Leyen's conditions

00:10:39.323 --> 00:10:42.177
was also the diplomatic aspect.

00:10:42.350 --> 00:10:44.970
A prime minister, president,
minister or a diplomat.

00:10:45.143 --> 00:10:47.800
Have they talked about it?

00:10:47.930 --> 00:10:52.443
How does this affect on it?
It's quite late.

00:10:52.570 --> 00:10:55.103
How does this affect the department
that we will get?

00:10:55.263 --> 00:10:59.950
In the beginning of April
at the event of Svoboda in Zbilje,

00:11:00.197 --> 00:11:03.537
when you introduced
the candidate Tomaž Vesel,

00:11:03.690 --> 00:11:06.863
it was said that this is a good basis
for the best possible department,

00:11:06.997 --> 00:11:10.410
because we are among the first,
but now we are very late.

00:11:10.643 --> 00:11:16.410
There are different opinions, which
department is more or less important.

00:11:16.617 --> 00:11:18.690
I think that
every department is important.

00:11:18.777 --> 00:11:21.277
It is important
to propose a competent candidate

00:11:21.483 --> 00:11:24.463
who runs a department
responsibly.

00:11:24.957 --> 00:11:29.903
The Prime Minister is in contact
with the President of the Commission.

00:11:30.403 --> 00:11:35.310
I believe he communicated
this properly

00:11:35.443 --> 00:11:39.043
and that they talk
about a new candidate as well

00:11:39.157 --> 00:11:42.530
and she will get a green light.

00:11:43.270 --> 00:11:45.583
Let's look at the internet.
Planet TV.

00:11:45.717 --> 00:11:47.543
Via Zoom. Go ahead.

00:11:49.910 --> 00:11:54.397
Hello. I'm Luka Svetina.
The question is connected

00:11:54.563 --> 00:11:58.497
with a quick change of a candidate
for a European Commissioner.

00:11:58.730 --> 00:12:02.210
Are you taking all
that was going on,

00:12:02.417 --> 00:12:08.350
even the President's visit,
as a political pressure on Slovenia

00:12:08.597 --> 00:12:13.983
to change a candidate. You have
mentioned a selection of candidates.

00:12:14.530 --> 00:12:17.037
Can you tell us,
who else were you considering?

00:12:17.343 --> 00:12:21.570
Tanja Fajon wasn't a candidate?
How unanimous was coalition?

00:12:22.623 --> 00:12:27.583
As I've said,
the Ministers have confirmed

00:12:28.283 --> 00:12:32.283
the nomination of Marta Kos
without a vote against

00:12:32.477 --> 00:12:34.803
and without
votes through abstention.

00:12:34.917 --> 00:12:39.000
It means that nomination
goes into procedure.

00:12:39.530 --> 00:12:43.737
I can confirm
that my colleague Tanja Fajon

00:12:43.917 --> 00:12:47.917
on a government's meeting
explicitly stressed

00:12:48.063 --> 00:12:54.710
that she wasn't a candidate
for a European Commissioner

00:12:54.990 --> 00:13:02.110
and that she will be happy to run
the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

00:13:02.270 --> 00:13:07.397
She denied all speculation

00:13:07.623 --> 00:13:11.663
and various insinuations

00:13:11.937 --> 00:13:15.937
of the indications from Brussels
that she should be a candidate.

00:13:16.123 --> 00:13:20.303
She never wished
to be a Commissioner.

00:13:20.877 --> 00:13:22.560
Okay.

00:13:23.023 --> 00:13:24.743
Are there any more questions?

00:13:24.923 --> 00:13:28.720
I would like to thank you
for coming to the press conference.

00:13:28.820 --> 00:13:31.007
Have a nice day.
-Thank you.