Romania Tables New EU Commissioner Nominee
Bulgaria in EU | October 29, 2006, SundayRomanian Prime Minister Calin Popescu Tariceanu has put forward a new name for the country's nomination to take a EU commissioner job.
Local media quoted lawmakers with the main ruling Liberal Party said it would be Deputy European Affairs Minister Leonard Orban, an independent who was chief negotiator for Romania in its dealings with the EU.
The government announced the nomination in a statement, but did not name the person.
Tariceanu said he sent to Jose Barroso, the letter with Romania's new proposition, following the withdrawal of senator Varujan Vosganian's bid to occupy the position.
The new proposal comes after Tariceanu's initial nominee, Liberal senator Varujan Vosganian, withdrew his candidacy on Saturday. The withdrawal was prompted following media allegations that he had been an informant of the communist-era secret police, the Securitate.
He was also criticized by European Socialists for lacking experience in European affairs and for being a low profile candidate who was unknown in Brussels.
Vosganian has denied the allegations, but said they could nevertheless delay his appointment and damage Romania's image abroad.
President Traian Basescu said that Vosganian had been checked by the intelligence agencies, which found no evidence that he had been a collaborator.
On Sunday, Foreign Minister Mihai Razvan Ungureanu said he turned down an offer to become Romania's EU Commissioner because he wanted to continue his work at the ministry, news television Realitatea TV reported.
Local media quoted lawmakers with the main ruling Liberal Party said it would be Deputy European Affairs Minister Leonard Orban, an independent who was chief negotiator for Romania in its dealings with the EU.
The government announced the nomination in a statement, but did not name the person.
Tariceanu said he sent to Jose Barroso, the letter with Romania's new proposition, following the withdrawal of senator Varujan Vosganian's bid to occupy the position.
The new proposal comes after Tariceanu's initial nominee, Liberal senator Varujan Vosganian, withdrew his candidacy on Saturday. The withdrawal was prompted following media allegations that he had been an informant of the communist-era secret police, the Securitate.
He was also criticized by European Socialists for lacking experience in European affairs and for being a low profile candidate who was unknown in Brussels.
Vosganian has denied the allegations, but said they could nevertheless delay his appointment and damage Romania's image abroad.
President Traian Basescu said that Vosganian had been checked by the intelligence agencies, which found no evidence that he had been a collaborator.
On Sunday, Foreign Minister Mihai Razvan Ungureanu said he turned down an offer to become Romania's EU Commissioner because he wanted to continue his work at the ministry, news television Realitatea TV reported.
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