Brussels, 23/09/2014 (Agence Europe) -Corina Cretu's Romanian nationality will not be subject to questions during a hearing at the European Parliament for the post of Commissioner for Regional Policy. In terms of European Structural Funds absorption, Romania is not doing very well (see EUROPE 11155). Emphasis will, on the other hand, be placed on cooperation with the European Parliament.
Iskra Mihaylova (ALDE, Bulgaria) will chair Cretu's hearing on 1 October next. On Tuesday 23 September, she provided reassurances in the press that MEPs would not seek to blame certain individuals for not having applied such and such a policy in such and such a country. Romania's poor record in terms of regional policy will therefore not be among the questions put to the potential Commissioner, and as Mihaylova explained, “we are going to hold a hearing for the Commissioner-designate who will be responsible for implementing regional policy in the four corners of the European continent”. On the other hand, it does appear likely that Cretu will be expected to demonstrate a clear determination to co-operate with the European Parliament, without which, as explained by Mihaylova, “we would be unable to hope for efficient implementation of cohesion policy”. Cretu will therefore be expected to explain how exactly she envisages this cooperation. She will also be questioned about her opinion regarding regional policy reform, delayed payments and delays involving project launches, as well as macro-economic conditions that need to be met for earmarking funds and the transparency of procedures, explained Mihaylova. (MD)