Potočnik, Janez (1958 - )
Slovenian commissioner. Potočnik started his career as a senior researcher at the Ljubljana Institute for Economic Research, where he was active between 1988 and 1993. Later, from 1993 to 2001 he was the director of the Institute for Macroeconomic Analyses and Development. However, Potočnik is best known for heading Slovenia's EU negotiating team from the beginning of the accession negotiations in spring of 1998 until their successful conclusion at the end of 2002. In that year Potočnik was appointed the minister of European affairs, his appointment was backed by almost all parliamentary parties. He is now shadowing Günter Verheugen in Enlargement.
Links
Personal website http://ec.europa.eu/archives/c......999_2004/potocnik/index_en.htm
