Margot Wallström verkiest herbenoeming als eurocommissaris boven ministerspost in Zweden (en)

EUOBSERVER / BRUSSELS - Swedish Environment Commissioner Margot Wallström has turned down an offer for a ministerial post in Sweden, saying she wishes to remain a Commissioner.

Goran Persson, the Swedish prime minister, had asked her if she would be interested in a post in the Swedish government.

"What I said in reply, having thought it over was, given the current political situation in Sweden, that I did not wish to take a ministerial post in Sweden", she said on Tuesday, answering questions posed by journalists.

"I wish to apply for a new term of office as Commissioner here in Brussels. It is in Sweden's interest, I believe, to have an experienced Commissioner in office".

The 50 year old Commissioner also confirmed that she held discussions with Mr Persson on Monday (17 May) but added that her answer to the offer "is still no".

"I wish to apply for the job which I think I can do best and that is my present job in which I have quite some experience and quite some competence and I hope that I can continue to prove equally so in the future", the Swedish Commissioner said.

She also added she thinks it would be "positive for Sweden to have a woman representing it in the Commission".

Mr Persson, however, has reportedly said he would not decide who should be the next Swedish commissioner before knowing who the next president of the Commission is going to be.

Moreover, surveys among social democrat party members have shown that Commissioner Wallström is favorite to replace Mr Persson as party leader.

Ms Wallström was appointed Commissioner in 1999.