European Union Commissioner for Enlargement, Marta Kos, is facing new allegations that she collaborated with the Yugoslav secret police known as UDBA in the 1980s.
The allegations were raised by Slovenian MEP Romana Tomc, who says she has obtained new documents and has requested an investigation by the European Commission.
The allegations are not new: they were also mentioned during Kos’ confirmation hearing in the European Parliament in 2024, but she categorically denied them, calling them “lies and disinformation.”
The debate has now been reignited due to a book by Slovenian author Igor Omerza, who claims that archival documents show her connections to the Yugoslav secret services.
Meanwhile, the European Commission says that Kos has undergone a thorough vetting process and has been duly approved as a commissioner by the European Parliament.
The issue has also become a political topic in the run-up to elections in Slovenia, with Kos expected to face questions about these allegations in the European Parliament.
Who is Marta Kos?
Marta Kos has been the European Union’s Commissioner for Enlargement since 2024, a position previously held by Hungarian Oliver Varhelyi.
While serving as ambassador to Germany, she met Ursula von der Leyen, who was Minister of Defense at the time, writes Danas.
She ended her career as ambassador to Switzerland in 2020 with her resignation, citing – as she stated – disagreements with the government’s foreign policy. She also confirmed that her resignation was also linked to an extraordinary oversight of the way she ran the embassy in Bern. Slovenian newspaper Dnevnik reported that the oversight came after complaints from employees about the inappropriate management of the embassy.
In addition to Germany and Switzerland, Kos has also served as Slovenia’s ambassador to Latvia and Liechtenstein.
In politics, she was the vice-chair of the Freedom Movement party. In 2022, she announced her candidacy for president of Slovenia, but during the election campaign she withdrew from the race and shortly afterwards left the party, stating that “it was no longer her party.”
Marta Kos is known as an experienced diplomat, business leader, consultant and communications expert. She also has a background in elite swimming. According to the Kreab company website, she has an extensive career in diplomacy, business and strategic consulting.
Kos is the president of the women’s association ONA VE and is active in the field of management consulting.
From 2003 to 2013, she headed the company Gustav Kaser Training International Slovenia, specializing in leadership and sales training. Prior to that, until 2003, she was the vice president for international relations at the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Slovenia.
After studying journalism, she began her career as a journalist at RTV Slovenija. She then worked for several years as a correspondent in Germany for Deutsche Welle in Bonn.
From journalism, she moved to government, where she was appointed director of the Office for Public Relations and Media in the Slovenian government and served as government spokesperson.
She has also been a member of the Slovenian and Yugoslav national swimming teams.
During her career, she has received several awards, including the Preseren Award for Students, the title of “Ambassador of the Year 2016 in Germany” and the German President’s decoration – the Grand Cross of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany.
Marta Kos was born on June 28, 1965. After 16 years of marriage, she divorced her first husband and is now married to Henri Getaz, secretary general of the European Free Trade Association.
Her brother, Drago Kos, is one of the most internationally recognized Slovenian experts on the fight against corruption.