Prime Minister Robert Golob criticized the president for discussing the confidential selection process in public, calling it a breach of established diplomatic practice.
Pirc Musar reportedly expressed “serious reservations” about the nominees during meetings with Foreign Minister Tanja Fajon and Golob, insisting that appointments should be based on professional merit and integrity rather than political connections.
Among the names under scrutiny are Cohesion Minister Aleksander Jevšek, Slovenia’s ambassador to the U.S. Iztok Mirošič, and two female candidates aiming for posts in Paris and Zagreb.
Golob’s office defended the confidentiality of the process, emphasizing that all candidates meet legal requirements and that public interventions risk undermining both the credibility of the nominees and Slovenia’s international standing. Under the Foreign Affairs Act, ambassadorial appointments require the president’s signature, meaning any blocked nominee cannot assume their post.

