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Slovak Maros Sefcovic appointed new EU Culture Commissioner

2 October 2009

Following the resignation of Slovak Commissioner Ján Figel’, who was elected to head the Conservative Christian Democrat Movement (KDH) in his country, Maros Sefcovic has been appointed by his government, in accord with European Commission President José Manuel Barroso, to take over the post as European Commissioner for Education, Culture, Professional Training and Youth. The decision took effect on 1 October. Sefcovic, who last served as his country’s ambassador to the EU in Brussels, will hold the education, training, culture and youth portfolio until the end of the present Commission’s mandate, on 31 October. He considers the nomination a great honour and he is prepared to remain in the post in the next EU Commission as well. The formation of the new EU Commission is depending on the ratification of the Treaty of Lisbon. Sefcovic said that it's a great responsibility. He has been a Slovak Ambassador to the EU for five years, but the new post "has strong political and technocratic dimensions". He added that he won't be able to accept national agendas and his interest will have to be broadly European. "One will have to look differently on all European affairs, to view them as a responsibility for 500 million EU citizens and this, I think, is a huge difference," said Sefcovic. Source: Slovak News Agency