Prime Minister Gordon Bajnai and ruling Socialist Party leaders will discuss on Friday whom to nominate as European commissioner, Nepszabadsag daily said on Thursday.
The three Socialist politicians running for the post are MEP Edit Herczog, incumbent commissioner Laszlo Kovacs and former finance minister Janos Veres.
It is up to the prime minister to make the final decision, and Bajnai has said he will back the Socialists’ choice.
The talks will coincide with the Irish referendum on the Lisbon Treaty, a key factor determining the number of commissioners in Jose Manuel Barroso’s new “EU government”.
Herczog, who enjoys moderate support within the party, started her second term in the European Parliament this year.
Kovacs, in spite of having attracted criticism in the press for maintaining a low profile, seems to have a fair chance of retaining his post. Ex-premier Ferenc Gyurcsany is said to have promised him a second term and, according to some sources, Bajnai is willing to support him.
Veres is backed by a majority in the Socialist parliamentary group.
As professional candidates, the names of Foreign Minister Peter Balazs and Gabor Ivan, Foreign State Secretary in charge of EU affairs have been raised, the paper said.
If all goes to plan, the candidate will be named next week.
