Brussels, 15/04/2002 (Agence Europe) - On Monday morning, Parliamentarians from the 13 candidate countries of the Convention chose Slovenian MEP and former Foreign Affairs Minister for Slovenia, Alojz Peterle as their representative at the Presidium, where he will have the status of guest. The Presidium, which met up on Monday morning, accepted Mr Peterle's appointment. As President Valéry Giscard d'Estaing explained, Mr Peterle would take his place among other Members of the Presidium.
The appointment of Mr Peterle was debated, as two other candidates were in the running, Slovak politician Irena Belohorvska (HZDS) and Lithuanian MP, Alvydas Medalinskas. Out of the 23 Convention Members present during the Monday morning session in Brussels, 12 voted for Mr Peterle, 9 for Mr Medalinskas and 2 for Ms Belohorvska. Parliamentarians in the two candidate countries also held a debate on the way in which Mr Peterle is expected to work in the Presidium: on a sort of "mandate" decided by the group of 13 candidate countries or freely, as an ordinary Member of the Presidium. No decision was reached on this subject but a majority appears to be against too a formal approach and against a "block" of candidates at the Convention and the Presidium.
Mr Peterle stressed that he would try and defend the interests of candidate countries and that he would be more than a simple Presidium observer.