17/04/2019 (Agence Europe) – On Tuesday 16 April, the European Parliament endorsed by a comfortable majority (222 votes in favour, 372 against, 57 abstentions) the unfavourable opinion of its Committee on Budgetary Control concerning the EU Council's proposal to appoint the Romanian Viorel Ştefan to the European Court of Auditors (see EUROPE 12232/5). A member of the Romanian Social Democratic Party, Mr Ştefan has been Minister of Public Finance since 2017. This rejection should be seen in the context of the negotiations between Parliament and the EU Council on the appointment of the European Chief Prosecutor, during which the Romanian Government has been accused of delegitimising the candidature of Romanian Laura Codruţa Kövesi (see EUROPE 12232/11). On the other hand, Parliament supports the appointment of the Croatian Ivana Maletić to the Court of Auditors (329 votes in favour, 264 against and 55 abstentions). The EU Council is not required to take Parliament’s opinion into account. (MB)