Strasbourg, 18/11/2008 (Agence Europe) - By the end of the month, the Greens-EFA Group will examine the possibility of launching a motion of censure against the Commission headed by José Manuel Barroso, Daniel Cohn-Bendit told the press on Tuesday 18 November. As the co-president of the Greens-EFA Group said in an interview with EUROPE yesterday (EUROPE 97784), he is opposed to the current Commission Presidency being renewed and plans to campaign against it during the European elections in June 2009. With a motion of censure in mind, he also considers that Mr Barroso should not complete his term of office.
Criticising the Commission for saying the opposite today of what it said one year ago when it was opposed to any regulation on the financial markets, and for its lack of self-criticism with regard to this change, he trusts that a motion of censure will allow light to be shed on institutional malfunction. Mr Barroso has “not been equal to the situation”, he said, adding: “We cannot continue with a Commission president whose position is as changeable as the weather”. “Today, we need a Commission that is not simply the prolongation of the Council but which defies it, forces it to move”, the Franco-German elected member states, going on to say: “For the public debate, I need a Commission president who defends the interests of European citizens (…), who defends the position that must be defended on behalf of Europe”.
Co-President Monica Frassoni was careful to specify that the question had still not been evoked at the group level. This manner of seeing the Commission is not at any rate shared by all EP political groups. Graham Watson certainly regretted that the Commission had not reacted to Parliament's repeated criticism about the lack of transparency on financial markets, but the president of the ALDE Group doubts this is a good reason for dismissing the president of the Commission. According to the president of the EPP-ED, who believes Mr Barroso is the right candidate for his own succession, the idea of censure is totally preposterous. “If the Greens want to exist, they must find slogans. This is something else that Dany has come up with before the elections. I cannot see why one should bring the Barroso Commission into question”, said Joseph Daul. (A.B./transl.jl)