UPDATE/President Iohannis:Rejection of Rovana Plumb's candidacy - new failure of PSD governance which brings damages to Romania

President Klaus Iohannis said that the rejection of Rovana Plumb's candidacy for the European Commissioner office represents "a new major failure of the PSD (the Social Democratic Party) governance" which brings damages to Romania. The President asked Prime Minister Viorica Dancila to urgently withdraw this nomination and make a new proposal after his agreement and Parliament's clearance.

"The rejection of Rovana Plumb's candidacy by the European Parliament's Legal Affairs Committee represents a new major failure of the PSD governance, which brings damages to Romania. We have a new proof of the incompetence of Prime Minister Viorica Dancila, who believed that, in the European Union, one can promote people in management positions based on party recommendations and friendships. (...) I ask Prime Minister Viorica Dancila to urgently withdraw Mrs. Plumb's nomination as European Commissioner. (...) The PSD exports incompetence outside the borders of the country through repeated political actions which deeply affect Romania's image. In order not to amplify the damages that have already been brought to our country, I imperatively request Prime Minister Viorica Dancila to urgently make a new nomination for the European Commissioner portfolio only after Romania's President agreement and Parliament's clearance," the head of state said in a press statement sent to AGERPRES on Thursday.

The head of state mentions having conveyed to the PM, ever since the beginning of the appointment procedure of Romania's European Commissioner, not to nominate Rovana Plumb, because she doesn't meet the integrity and professionalism criteria.

"The is an obvious risk for such a nomination to be rejected in the European Parliament and the Prime Minister had the obligation to avoid it. Looks like my warning was confirmed by today's negative vote in the Legal Committee. The hearing in the Legal Affairs Committee of the European Parliament is an exceptional procedure, which has been used now, precisely due to the very serious integrity issues of the candidate proposed by the PSD," the head of state showed.

Rovana Plumb's candidacy for the European Commissioner for Transport portfolio was rejected on Thursday by the Legal Affairs Committee of the European Parliament.