Slovak politician Maroš Šefčovič was appointed European Commissioner for Transport and Space in the office of the new leader Jean-Claude Juncker. He is changing to this post from being Commissioner for Inter-Institutional Relations and Administration, a position of a vice-chair, in the previous cabinet of the Commission.
The area of transport, mobility and space has a direct and beneficial impact on Slovak citizens' everyday lives, claims Šefčovič as his bureaus will deal with modernisation of highways, the repairing of roads or projects where the public transport is undergoing gradual modernisation. The newly appointed Commissioner claims EU transport policies aim to bring high-speed trains to Slovakia and work on the completion of important trans-European transport corridors. Along with agriculture, regional policies, research and development, the European transport portfolio boasts one of the largest budgets. Also space-oriented programmes fall under the remit of Šefčovič's new office.
Slovak opposition politicians are not thrilled by the new appointment of Šefčovič at the Commission. Šefčovič has much more to offer than stand at the helm at the European Commission portfolio for transport and space, stated Independent MP Juraj Droba on Wednesday. “Surely, a more powerful position for Slovakia was expected,” stated Droba. Jozef Mikuš of SDKU-DS considers Šefčovič's new role to represent a certain withdrawal from the position he had as the European Commission's vice-chair. However, Foreign and European Affairs Minister Miroslav Lajčák believes that the portfolio assigned to Maroš Šefčovič reflects the fact that he's a senior official in terms of experience and did an excellent job during his first term. The minister said that Slovakia shouldn't be disappointed that Šefčovič won't serve as the European Commission's vice-chair in his second term, as Juncker had a different approach to the model of its formation. Maroš Šefčovič will become the most senior commissioner of the future Commission in terms of service record.
