THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT VOTES THE NEW MEMBERS OF THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION

The European Parliament will vote the new members of the European Commission, including the Bulgarian representative, Kristalina Georgieva. The EP agenda this week includes discussion of an agreement between the European Union and the United States for submitting bank data to Washington in order to fight terrorism.  

The new EU Commission team for the next five years was supposed to be voted during an EP session at the end of January. However, due to the poor presentation of the previous Bulgarian candidate during the hearing, Rumiana Jeleva, and her unwillingness to step down as commissioner designate, the procedure was impeded. The hearing of the new Bulgarian candidate, Kristalina Georgieva, was held in Brussels. She was applauded by the commissioners and was approved an hour and a half after the hearing. 

The vote is expected to run smoothly in the early afternoon today. After that the Bulgarian deputies will meet the new Bulgarian Commissioner, Ms. Gergieva, and the former one, Meglena Kuneva.

Another EP decision is questioned – whether the EU is to submit bank information to the United States for the fight of terrorism, as the European ministers agreed with the American government. The EP Civil Liberties Committe recommends a negative vote. The results will come out on Thursday.