Šefčovič fends off accusations

Slovak commissioner emerges safely after tackling head-on accusations of anti-Roma attitudes.

Maroš Šefčovič had been embattled for some days when he entered his nomination hearing with the European Parliament. He left the chamber to the sound of sustained applause from MEPs, suggesting the Slovak’s battling performance and navigation of questions heavily focused on institutional matters had won him approval for a post as one of the next European Commission’s vice-presidents.

From the outset, Šefčovič gave an impassioned response to accusations made in recent days that he made an anti-Roma comment in 2005. Šefčovič, whose designated remit includes education and culture, said in his opening remarks that he rejected discrimination on any grounds and was an advocate of social inclusion. The very first question – posed by the Spanish conservative Íñigo Méndez de Vigo – challenged him to explain the specific comment he is alleged to have made, that Roma were “exploiting the Slovak welfare state”. Šefčovič pointed out that alleged quote, made before a group of stagiaires, was a five-word fragment of a sentence and said he could not recall making such a statement. But, he continued, if he had in fact made such a statement, “that quote is not representative of my views”.

József Szájer, the Hungarian conservative who on 13 January was the first MEP to draw attention to the alleged comment, asked Šefčovič why he had done nothing to address the comments earlier. No one had complained at the time, Šefčovič declared.

Šefčovič said that, coming from a country with one of the largest Roma communities in Europe, he was well aware of the social conditions of the Roma and the discrimination they faced. He asked to be judged on his track record, contending that he enjoyed good relations with the Roma community and had worked to raise awareness of Roma issues in the EU – statements corroborated in recent days by Slovak Roma groups, which have praised for Šefčovič’s work on their behalf. Šefčovič cited a number of examples of his personal commitment, saying he had worked to create a special programme for Roma from the EU’s structural funds and had succeeded in ensuring that the EU’s national leaders last year made specific reference to Roma issues at one of their summits.

“I think the support of the Roma community is the best proof. I have been working with them and they know me much better than anybody else,” he said, a comment that drew applause from MEPs.

Šefčovič would, as vice-president, have responsibility for inter-institutional relations and administration, and questions about institutional matters predominated.

The entry into force of the Lisbon treaty would go down in history books as a new era for the EU, Šefčovič said, and he declared that it was a “major plus” that, in many areas, the treaty granted the European Parliament the same powers as the Council of Ministers, the forum for national governments. Some MEPs wanted to know whether he was prepared to go beyond the terms of the Lisbon treaty by, for example, following European Parliament resolutions calling for legislative initiatives.

Šefčovič answered by saying the treaty in force must be respected and that he wanted to see how the new institutional framework created by the Lisbon treaty worked before deciding whether further reforms were needed. He did not, however, rule out the need to change the treaty if the EU were to take in several new members.

Fact File

MAROŠ ŠEFČOVIČ

Inter-institutional relations and administration

Click Here: Cheap FIJI Rugby Jersey

Nationality: Slovakian

Political Affiliation: PES

Previous job: European commissioner for education and culture

Age: 43

Most entertaining question

“Do you think of yourself as a federalist or are you still in the closet?”, the UK Liberal Andrew Duff asked. “I’m not in the closet,” Šefčovič answered.

The longest moment

“For God’s sake, somebody find him a clock.”

Spanish centre-right MEP Íñigo Méndez de Vigo after Šefčovič had overrun his time.

A meeting of minds

UK Conservative MEP Ashley Fox asked Šefčovič whether he favoured a treaty amendment to allow the European Parliament to choose where it is based. The Parliament currently meets in Brussels and Strasbourg. Šefčovič replied: “That’s a good question.” Fox said: “That’s why I asked it.”

Cringe-inducing statement:

“It would be my utmost pleasure to please the Parliament.”

One of the major innovations of the Lisbon treaty – the European External Action Service, a new diplomatic corps for the EU – prompted a range of questions, because as commissioner for administration, Šefčovič would be responsible for changes to the staff regulations. On this, Šefčovič acknowledged the role the Parliament will play – he re-assured them that, under the Lisbon treaty, they would share decision-making rights – while also stressing that, if the service is to be operational by April, staff regulations will need to be agreed upon quickly.

Šefčovič promised to forge a “special partnership” with the European Parliament, one based on transparency and dialogue, but he also drew attention to a check introduced by the treaty, which gives national parliaments the right to assess new legislative proposals. This so-called subsidiarity check should be used as a way to improve communication with national parliaments and to give them a greater role in decision-making, he said.

He also spoke about an opportunity the treaty creates for direct democracy, promising to produce, in early spring, a proposal setting out how citizens’ initiatives should operate. These are intended to give citizens a chance to indicate their priorities to the EU institutions.

A major institutional issue in the European Parliament’s and European Commission’s last term was lobbying, and Šefčovič was questioned about his plans to advance reforms. He promised to work with the European Parliament on a lobbyist register compiled jointly by the two institutions. He also said he would review the code of conduct for commissioners, looking at issues like hospitality and rules for gifts, and that he would seek to extend the code’s application to ensure that senior officials in all EU institutions have to meet common standards.

It was a tricky hearing for Šefčovič, both personally and politically. The applause suggested that he had avoided the lurking dangers.