News from the EP by Bill Newton Dunn MEP (Liberal Democrat European Group (LDEG))

Liberal Democrat European Group (LDEG) <info@ldeg.org>

News from the EP by Bill Newton Dunn MEP

January 22, 2010 10:24 AM

The European Parliament is getting into its stride, following the coming into effect of the Lisbon Treaty last month. There is no EU legislation in the pipeline because a new set of Commissioners has to be appointed first. This week MEPs re-elected the EU's Ombudsman, Diamondoros, for another five years. He has already served seven years and has been a valiant fighter for more transparency in EU matters. Read on....

The principle controversy in Strasbourg this week were the final hearings for the candidate Commissioners. Already, I notice an interesting difference from last time that happened, in 2004. The process is becoming more political - which is part of the continuing development of the European Parliament. The Bulgarian candidate, Mrs Jeleva, was rejected - or, technically, withdrawn by Sofia before we voted her down. I sat through every minute of her three-hour live hearing and she was, in my opinion, very unsuitable for the job. She failed to convince the committee about the many allegations of corruption swirling around her and she did not answer the questions about her portfolio, Humanitarian Aid, adequately.

Jeleva comes from the right-wing in Bulgarian politics. Here comes the political aspect. The Christian-Democrat MEP group threatened that if Jeleva was not confirmed in the job, then a Liberal Dutch Commissioner would not get her job either. Yet Mrs Kroes, from the Netherlands, was a big success as the Commissioner for Competition in the last five years.

If that happened, it would unpick whole the political deal - whereby last month the Christian-Democrats got the presidency of the Council (Van Rompuy), the Socialists got the new EU Foreign Minster (Ashton) and the Liberals got more than their share of the 27 Commissioners. This political wrestling between right, centre, and left is the normal political process, and is a symptom of the continuing development of the EU and its parliament - which is to be welcomed.

In the event, Jeleva was withdrawn and also resigned from her post as Bulgaria's Foreign Minister. Instead, Sofia nominated a new candidate for Commissioner - and there has to be a hearing for her. The whole Commission may now be voted into office by MEPs on 9th February.

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