ANO candidate for EU commissioner says she is up to the challenge

Regional Development Minister Věra Jourová, whom the coalition party ANO last week put forward as its nominee for EU commissioner, says that while regional development is her main area of interest she feels up to the challenge of accepting other portfolios. ANO put forward a new nominee, in place of former EU commissioner Pavel Telicka, in the hope of reaching agreement on the home front and winning support in Brussels which the party feels might be more inclined to favour a woman candidate. The Social Democrats are still pushing their own candidate for EU commissioner – former finance minister Pavel Mertlík. The coalition parties will try to agree on a single candidate next week.