Romania’s president Klaus Iohannis urged prime minister Viorica Dancila to withdraw the country’s candidate for a seat in the new European Commission, Rovana Plumb, and nominate another one only after both the Parliament and the Presidency endorse it.

Iohannis harshly criticised PM Dancila after Romania’s candidate for the transport commissioner position, MEP Rovana Plumb, received a negative vote from the European Parliament’s Legal Committee (JURI), which put an end to her candidacy.

“I have explicitly told the prime minister since the beginning of this procedure of appointing the European Commissioner on behalf of Romania not to nominate Rovana Plumb, as she did not meet the integrity and professionalism criteria. My warning was confirmed by today's negative vote of the Legal Commission,” Iohannis stated, according to Hotnews.ro.

The president came under pressure from the opposition leaders to take firm steps in the case of Rovana Plumb and the nomination of a new candidate. President Iohannis and PM Dancila are both running in the presidential elections in November.

editor@romania-insider.com

(Photo source: Presidency.ro)