Parliament’s attack on Jeleva intensifies

Approval of next European Commission in doubt.

The president of the European Parliament today raised the stakes in the dispute over Rumiana Jeleva, the Bulgarian nominee for European commissioner.

Jerzy Buzek sent a letter to European Commission President José Manuel Barroso, asking him whether Jeleva’s declaration of her financial interests complies with the code of conduct for European commissioners and whether he considers that Jeleva is still a suitable candidate for commissioner.

The letter follows a poor performance by Jeleva in her hearing before the Parliament’s development committee on Tuesday (12 January). MEPs were dissatisfied both by her answers to questions on her financial interests and on her dossier – she has been designated for the portfolio of international co-operation, humanitarian aid and crisis management.

MEPs accused her of failing to give a clear account of her involvement with a Bulgarian firm called Global Consult.

Martin Schulz, leaders of the Socialists and Democrats group (S&D) said Jeleva “is not up to the job”. The majority of political delegations on the committee including S&D, the Liberals, the Greens and the European United Left, are withholding approval for Jeleva to become commissioner for humanitarian aid.

Publicly, the European People’s Party (EPP) group in the Parliament, to which Jeleva belongs, is defending her. József Szájer, a Hungarian MEP who is the EPP’s co-ordinator for the hearings, said that Jeleva had been the victim of a “witch-hunt” and that she had been unfairly treated by the committee.

The committee will meet again in Strasbourg on 18 January to discuss Jeleva’s suitability for the post.

EPP MEPs have raised doubts about a socialist candidate for commissioner in a move which many observers see as an attempt to pressure the socialists not to block Jeleva. On Wednesday Szájer accused Maroš Šefčovič, Slovakia’s commissioner-designate who is supposed to be in charge of relations with other EU institutions, of making anti-Roma remarks. Šefčovič, whose hearing takes place in Strasbourg on 18 January at 4pm, has said he has no recollection of making any such remarks and has stressed the work he has done on improving conditions for Roma and has received support from Roma organisations.

The prospects for Barroso’s line-up were further complicated today when MEPs decided that Neelie Kroes, the Dutch liberal who has been assigned the portfolio of information technology and the digital agenda, should be called back for a meeting with the political group co-ordinators on the Parliament’s industry committee. She had performed badly in her hearing last night.