Věra Jourová, the vice-president of the EU Commission for Values and Transparency, will not seek another mandate, paving the way for Czechia to nominate a new representative after the 2024 European elections.
Jourová, who is currently serving her second term in the Commission, will complete her mandate in 2024. She was nominated to the Commission for the first time in 2014 by former Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babiš, who is now in the opposition.
While the elections to the EU Parliament and the subsequent composition of the new Commission are slated for next year, discussions have already begun regarding the current Czech government nominee for the prestigious job.
Among the potential candidates are Jozef Síkela (STAN), the current Czech Minister of Industry and Trade, and Jiří Šedivý, head of the European Defence Agency. Šedivý holds the distinction of being the second highest-ranking Czech in EU institutions after EU Jourová. He is currently overseeing contracts for artillery ammunition worth and has been involved in providing military assistance to Ukraine.
Šedivý expressed his readiness to assume the role. “If the government agrees on my nomination, I am ready,” he told Czech economic news site E15. Šedivý highlighted his extensive professional background in defence and security but also expressed versatility, noting that the EU internal market could be an intriguing portfolio.
Meanwhile, Jozef Síkela, the Industry and Trade Minister, has also openly declared his ambitions for the position. He gained recognition for his role in chairing the Energy Councils during the Czech Council of the EU presidency last year, where agreements were reached on measures to stabilize energy prices and ensure ample energy supply for member states in the midst of Russia’s conflict with Ukraine.
According to the Czech coalition government’s agreement, the Commissioner should be nominated by the centrist party STAN (Mayors and Independents movement) in collaboration with the Pirates (Greens/EFA affiliated). Another potential contender is Danuše Nerudová, who expressed her interest in the position. Nerudová, economist and unsuccessful candidate in this year’s Czech presidential election, is already confirmed as a co-leader of the STAN candidate list for the European elections 2024.
(Aneta Zachová | Euractiv.cz)
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