Dancila: Iohannis committed abuse by intervening with European Commission President to stop Commissioner appointment

Outgoing Prime Minister Viorica Dancila regards as an abuse the fact that President Klaus Iohannis "intervened" with the President-elect of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, to stop the appointment of a Commissioner proposed by the Social Democratic Party (PSD) Government. 

"He committed an abuse by intervening with the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, to say 'stop because my government hasn't come yet so I can appoint my Commissioner', which seems an unacceptable attitude on the part of the President of Romania," said Dancila, on Sunday evening, in a talk show at private TV broadcaster Antena 3. 

She stated that the President of Romania should've acted for the benefit of his country, not to impose his party members in certain positions at the European level. 

"I therefore believe the President is moving from mistake to mistake and all of this costs us as a country. (...) He will ask Ms. President of the European Commission to wait a month, two, the entire European Commission should wait until his government passes. Such lack of responsibility and such an attitude on the part of the President of Romania is unacceptable," said the interim Prime Minister. 

Viorica Dancila added that after the motion she did not speak with Ursula von der Leyen, but that she will do so in the course of next week. 

"I believe that the President of the European Commission must respect the law. So long as we have a socialist government, even if it is ad interim, it should give the proposal for the next Commissioner. So the President of Romania cannot make the proposal for Commissioner, the Prime Minister designate cannot make the proposal for Commissioner. (...) I expect this week to have a discussion regarding the appointment of the Commissioner from Romania," Dancila said. 

The interim Prime Minister recalled that she made two proposals for the position of Commissioner, Rovana Plumb and Dan Nica, the latter being still valid.