PM sends EC proposal for Ioan Mircea Pascu to become interim European commissioner (sources)

Prime Minister Viorica Dancila sent a letter to the President of the European Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker, stating that the Government is proposing Ioan Mircea Pascu as an interim European commissioner following the resignation of Corina Cretu, said governmental sources.

According to quoted sources, the prime minister expects the answer this week. The sources said that no proposals were made by the Romanian side regarding the future European commissioners because the negotiations have not been started yet.
Last Wednesday, the spokesman of the Executive, Nelu Barbu, announced that the Government had not withdrawn the proposal that Ioan Mircea Pascu should be appointed interim commissioner.

Following the resignation of European Commissioners Corina Cretu and Andrus Ansip for taking over their mandates of MEPs, their portfolios will be transferred on an interim basis to two other European commissioners, European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker decided, according to a press release issued last Wednesday by the Community Executive.

Thus, the portfolio of the Regional Policy, held by Corina Cretu, will be taken over by the Commissioner for Neighborhood Policy and Negotiating Enlargement Johannes Hahn. The latter was Commissioner for Regional Policy in the previous European Commission.

Commissioner Andrus Ansip's portfolio, the Digital Single Market, will be taken over by Energy Commissioner and European Commission Vice-President Maros Sefcovic.

The mandate of the current European Commission ends on 31 October.

Premier Viorica Dancila announced on 28 June that the Social Democratic Party (PSD) supports Ioan Mircea Pascu for the post of interim European commissioner following the resignation of Corina Cretu.