Marta Kos: the Slovenian commissioner steering EU enlargement policy
Slovenian diplomat Marta Kos leads the European Commission’s enlargement work and signals Brussels’ expectations for candidate countries.
Marta Kos, a Slovenian diplomat and politician, has been the European Commissioner for Enlargement since December 2024 and is one of the most influential EU figures on the future of the Western Balkans, including North Macedonia. Her role links Brussels' enlargement agenda with the concrete reform steps candidate countries must deliver during the 2024–2029 mandate.
From journalism and diplomacy to the corridors of the Commission
Kos began her career in journalism, working for Radio-Television Slovenia and for Deutsche Welle while spending part of her early career in Germany. In the 1990s she moved into public administration and in 1997 became director of the Government Information Service and spokesperson for the Slovenian government. She later worked in the private sector before returning to diplomacy as Slovenia’s ambassador to Germany and then to Switzerland.
Her background combines media skills, diplomatic practice and experience in both national administration and international postings — a mix that Brussels observers say helps her navigate the political and communicative demands of enlargement policy.
As Commissioner for Enlargement her remit is to assess candidate countries’ preparedness, to set out the Commission’s position on progress and to guide the technical and political process of reforms. Yet accession itself requires fulfilment of the criteria and unanimous approval by EU member states, a dynamic that limits any single commissioner’s final say.
Kos’ domestic political path has seen shifts. In 2022 she announced a bid for the Slovenian presidency as a candidate of the Freedom Movement but withdrew from the race in August of that year. She later stepped down from the movement’s vice-presidency and left the party in 2023, saying it no longer represented her political option.
In private life she is married to Anri Geta, who until 2023 was Secretary General of the European Free Trade Association (EFTA). For countries like North Macedonia, Kos’ public statements and assessments are watched closely as an indicator of the political and reform expectations tied to the EU accession path.
Photo: Instagram
