Slovenia faces EU criticism over Tanja Fajon's appointment block

Seven European Union member states, including France and Spain, have criticized Slovenia following the blocking of Tanja Fajon's appointment as the EU Special Representative for the Sahel region.

Fajon, a former Slovenian Foreign Minister, was the primary candidate for the position within the European External Action Service (EEAS). Her candidacy was reportedly halted following intervention from the Slovenian government. Consequently, the EU's head of diplomacy, Kaja Kallas, proposed the second candidate on the list, Birgitte Nygaard Markussen, who has since been appointed.

The Slovenian government has initiated criminal proceedings against Fajon, alleging she violated rules during her application while serving as minister. Fajon has denied these accusations, characterizing the actions as political retaliation.

During an EU ambassadors' meeting, several nations expressed concerns regarding the process. France cited a lack of transparency, while Spain questioned the limited timeframe for evaluating the new candidate. Belgium called for a legal assessment of the role national governments play in appointing EU special representatives, while Romania, Luxembourg, and Slovakia also voiced criticism. The EEAS defended the swift appointment to ensure the post was filled by September 1, noting the urgent diplomatic developments in the Sahel region.