17/02/2005 (Agence Europe) - Martin Schulz, president of the Socialist group at the European Parliament has not been convinced by explanations provided by the Commission spokesperson on the 36 second election broadcast in which president Barroso gave his support to his own party, the PSD in the forthcoming elections on Sunday in Portugal (EUROPE yesterday p 5) In a press release Schulz affirmed that whether the broadcast was three weeks or thirty-six seconds long, it was still a mistake made by the president of the Commission to get involved in an election campaign. Schulz said that this would mean that “the visiting code of conduct needs to be thoroughly reviewed” and called on the president of the EPP-ED group, Hans-Gert Pöttering, to join him “taking initiatives to safeguard the independence of the Commission and president”.