President Traian Băsescu said yesterday that the naming of the European commissioner from Romania would be based on competence, not on political criteria. This put an end to the quarrel between PSD and PD-L on this issue. The President also asked the two parties to end the public dispute on this issue in order not to jeopardize the negotiations that Romania had started in January for an important portfolio in the forthcoming European Commission.

"I can tell you for sure that the European commissioner will not be named based on political criteria, but on the criterion of competence, depending on the portfolio we will be able to obtain. Again, the criterion that will matter for designating the European commissioner is competence, the national and international competence, if possible", Basescu emphasized.

He stated that the appointment procedure for the commissioner is clear: the Government gives the nominee and the President supports the proposal in the European Council.

AGRICULTURE, THE TARGET PORTFOLIO

Romania tries to obtain the portfolio of Agriculture, the name mentioned throughout the negotiations being that of former Minister of the liberal Government Dacian Cioloş. He has never been a member of the Liberal Party or of any other party. Instead, the social democrats want to be the ones that nominate the Commissioner, proposing several names, including Vasile Puscas and Adrian Severin.

The Head of State told the parties that if they wanted to discuss on this topic he and PM Boc were available.

The differences between PSD and PD-L were maintained until yesterday morning before the meeting of the leaders of the Coalition. According to sources participating in the hearing, the PSD leaders and PD-L have not discussed names, but only agreed that the Agriculture portfolio is the most important for Romania.

President Traian Băses