Brussels, 25/03/2004 (Agence Europe) - On Wednesday Commissioner Pedro Solbes confirmed in Brussels that he had "accepted" the post of minister for the economy and finance in the Spanish Socialist government of José Luis Rodriguez Zapatero. Solbes' successor, for the rest of the current Commission mandate will probably be a Spaniard, affirmed Romano Prodi on Thursday. The name of Solbes' replacement will be known in three weeks time when the Zapatero government is officially set up. According to rumours, the president of the Socialist group at the European Parliament, Enrique Baron Crespo is expected to be named as new Commissioner for the Economy and Finance.
62 year old Solbes had already been minister of the economy and finance between 1993-96 in the last Socialist government of Felipe Gonzalez. In 1991-93 he was minister of agriculture in the Gonzalez government. Following PSOE's entry into opposition in 1996, Solbes had, for three months, been a Spanish MP. In 1999 he came to the European Commission and over recent years in Brussels he has steered matters ahead on the Euro and created a reputation as being a finicky overseer of the Stability and Growth Pact.