Brussels, 07/10/2010 (Agence Europe) - The nominations of Lazaros Stavrou Lazarou from Cyprus and Gijs De Vries from the Netherlands as members of the European Court of Auditors were approved on Thursday 7 October in Brussels by the European Parliament (EUROPE 10225 on the vote of the EP's budgets committee). Lazarou was appointed by the Cypriot authorities to replace Kikis Kazamias, whose mandate expires on 1 November. De Vries was nominated by the Dutch government to take over from Maarten Engwirda, who has resigned and needs to be replaced for the remainder of his term of office, from 1 January 2011 to 31 December 2013. The Council of Ministers of the EU is the body that formerly decides on nominations. The nominations were approved by the EP in their adoption of the reports submitted by Inés Ayala Sender (S&D, Spain). (L.C./transl.fl)