PM Dancila to propose new candidate for the Commissioner seat

PM Viorica Dăncilă has announced in a press statement on Monday evening that she will make a new proposal for the Commissioner seat, after the EP’s JURI Committee had decided that the Romanian Government’s initial proposal, Rovana Plumb is not eligible for this position due to a conflict of interest issue.

“We witness a fierce battle that some Romanians have started against their country and people, we see how the head of state is trampling the Constitution, we see how he is blocking the Government’s activity. We see sterile image campaigns that have no effect for the Romanians”, said Dăncilă.

She announced there will be a new proposal for the European Commissioner. “As for the President’s invitation for consultations, I answer that I will come <right away>, the same <right away> used by the President in the procedure of appointing interim ministers“, she argued.

Sources from the ruling party said that the premier might nominate FM Ramona Manescu or Mihai Fifor, PSD secretary general as Commissioner.

On the other hand, the premier insisted that Rovana Plumb is not in conflict of interest, according to the national laws.

“Under the European legislation, such a framework is not clearly regulated, and, moreover, this situation was subdued to a political game that leaves room for misinterpretation. There is no proved conflict of interest, there is no solid ground for this rejection,” the premier underlined.

She claimed that the JURI Committee’s rejecting Rovana Plumb is the result “of a denigration campaign and of an unreserved aggressive attack against the candidate of their own country and a lack of total reasoning”.

“And let’s not forget about the negative lobby exerted by the leader of the Renew Europe group, Dacian Ciolos. Let’s not forget the chairman of the JURI committee is member of the group led by Mr. Ciolos“, the PM argued.

On a separate note, Viorica Dăncilăhas predicted the censure motion that the Opposition is ready to file in Parliament this week will fail.

“The new people of the right-wing parties, who have struggled for months to agree on the text of the censure motion and on toppling down the government-as chaotically as three months ago. We have seen this movie before. The movie of the eternal censure motion which has rather divided the Opposition so far than topple down the government,” Dăncilă said.