The nomination of Marta Kos from Slovenia as the new European Commissioner for Enlargement by Ursula von der Leyen is interpreted as good news by our interlocutors. As they explain, the decision to give such a portfolio to Slovenia indicates that the EU officials will pay attention to the European integration of the Western Balkans, i.e. that the focus will not be only on the accession of Ukraine to the Union. At the same time, they emphasise that Marta Kos, if she is confirmed by the European Parliament, will be faced with difficult tasks.
The Government of Slovenia is expected to officially confirm the candidacy of Marta Kos for an EU Commissioner later today. Previously, she was endorsed by the Committee on the European Union Affairs of the Slovenian Parliament. In her address to the members of the Committee in Ljubljana, Kos pointed out that EU enlargement was one of the most important topics for Slovenia. She said that Slovenia was “a successful example of enlargement that can be transferred to the countries of the Western Balkans”.
In today’s Facebook post, Marta Kos stated that the enlargement policy is the most successful foreign policy of the European Union, “which brings peace, stability, prosperity and new possibilities, not only for new members but for all EU citizens”.
“This is especially important in the geopolitical environment when Russia uninvited Ukraine and brought war to the European continent”, she wrote.
Marta Kos added that Ukraine, Georgia, Moldova, the Western Balkan countries, as well as Turkey, have a European perspective.
“As Commissioner for EU enlargement, I intend to work intensively with these countries, deepen our common values and support their reforms to realize this perspective in full membership”, she wrote.
Pierre Mirel: A Slovenian Commissioner should be well placed to help WB countries joining the EU
Commenting on the decision by Ursula von der Leyen to nominate the Slovenian politician and diplomat as a successor of Olivér Várhelyi from Hungary, Pierre Mirel, a former Director of the Directorate-General for Enlargement at the European Commission, says for EWB that she “should be well placed to help Western Balkans countries joining the EU”. He adds that “Marta Kos has a wide knowledge of the challenges these countries are facing, on top of providing the positive experience of Slovenia’s accession”.
“She will be faced, however, with a difficult EU situation: the political turbulence in some key member states, the rise of far-right forces and looming EU crises, once more. These elements will not be conducive at getting a wide support for making enlargement a priority during the new Commission mandate. All the more so when considering the difficulties that several Western Balkan countries are facing, starting with bilateral issues, not to mention the intensified Ukraine-Russia war”, Pierre Mirel remarks.
Mirel concludes that “notwithstanding her qualifications”, Marta Kos will have a hard time convincing Western Balkan countries to undertake “the long-awaited deep reforms, at restoring EU credibility and at reconciling, at last, democracy and stability”.
Florian Bieber: The only downside is the fact that she is not a “heavyweight” politican
In a similar vein, Florian Bieber, Professor at the University of Graz and Coordinator of the Balkans in Europe Advisory Group (BiEPAG), states for European Western Balkans that “having a Slovenian Enlargement Commissioner is good news”.
“First, it ends the troubled tenure of Várhelyi as Commissioner, who caused a lot of damage. In addition, by naming a Commissioner from Slovenia, the new Commission is signalling that enlargement is not just about Ukraine, as a candidate from the Baltics would have done. A Commissioner who understands the languages (at least some of them) will be helpful. So, it is overall good news”, Florian Bieber stresses.
According to Bieber, “the only downside” is that Marta Kos is not “a heavyweight”, and thus, she might have a hard time giving the agenda the attention necessary in the Commission itself.
“She might also have a hard ride during the confirmation hearings in the European Parliament. However, overall, it seems to mark an end to the trend where every Enlargement Commissioner was weaker than the predecessor”, Bieber says.
Presenting the candidates for the Commissioners earlier this week, Ursula von der Leyen said Kos would also be in charge of the Eastern Neighbourhood Policy, work to support Ukraine, including the reconstruction of this state, and “support the candidate countries to prepare for their accession to the Union”.
Marta Kos is a Slovenian former ambassador to Germany and Switzerland. She was a Vice President of the liberal Freedom Movement, led by Prime Minister Robert Golob. In 2022, she ran for President of Slovenia but withdrew from the campaign.
Candidates for the European Commissioners will be subjected to hearings in the European Parliament’s committees in the coming weeks. They will need to obtain the green light of the MEPs to be elected to office. The European Parliament will vote for the new European Commission as a whole before it takes office, which will take place on 1 November at the earliest.