Slovenia nominates Lenarcic to be EU commissioner

The Slovenian center-left government nominated its permanent representative at the European Union, Janez Lenarcic, for the post of EU commissioner on Thursday. Lenarcic, 51, has held senior positions in several Slovenian governments over the past decades.

He is not a member of any political party, and it is unclear which post he might take in the new European Commission. Outgoing Slovenian commissioner Violeta Bulc is in charge of transport. "This proposal is just to all coalition partners ... as I don't want any conflicts (inside the coalition). It is fair to nominate a professional rather than a party candidate," Prime Minister Marjan Sarec, who leads a minority five-party coalition, told reporters on Wednesday.