Brussels, 15/01/2010 (Agence Europe) - On Friday 15 January, Commission President José Manuel Barroso repeated his support for Bulgarian Rumiana Jeleva, Commissioner-designate for humanitarian aid, after she again assured him that her declaration of interest submitted to the Commission on her nomination by the Bulgarian government in December 2009 was full and complete. “Upon a specific request from President Barroso, Ms Jeleva has confirmed, after her hearing, the declaration of interest was fully accurate and complete,” the Commission spokeswoman told press on Friday. She also said that what mattered for Barroso was the declaration of interest of December 2009, and not those produced by Jeleva for the EP as an MEP. Allegations refer essentially to financial information provided to the EP.
The spokeswoman announced, too, that Barroso would, in the afternoon of Friday 15 January, reply to a letter from the president of the European Parliament. In this letter, sent on Thursday evening, Jerzy Buzek calls on Barroso to say unequivocally: - if Jeleva's declaration of interest complies with the commissioners' code of conduct; - and if he believes that Jeleva has the necessary level of professional expertise for the post of humanitarian aid commissioner. Parliamentary sources suggest that
Jeleva's professional abilities are now in question, even more than the inconsistencies in her former declarations of interest.
In the late afternoon, as we went to press, Barroso's reply had not yet reached the EP president's office, but given the comments of the spokeswoman at midday on Friday, it was likely that the answer to both questions was “yes”. In the meantime, the EP legal department has also been asked to examine Jeleva's declarations of interest. It is expected to deliver its opinion on Monday 18 January. The various Parliamentary committees will submit their assessments of the 26 commissioners-designate on Monday or Tuesday of next week so that the Conference of the Presidents of the EP, scheduled for Thursday 21 January, will be able to draw the conclusions of the auditions process.
Meanwhile, the Bulgarian government remains committed to its nominee, while,
nevertheless, saying it awaits the Commission's legal opinion. “We continue to support Ms Jeleva and are waiting for the Commission's lawyers to rule on her business affairs,” said the prime minister's spokesman. (H.B./transl.rt)