Romanian Prime Minister Dacian Ciolos gets paid some EUR 8,300 per month by the European Commission, more than double what he makes as head of Romania's cabinet, which is some EUR 3,500 (net) per month. Ciolos says that the payments are made transparently for all former EU commissioners, and that they don't prevent him from being totally independent and taking stand whenever the European Commission's decisions impact Romania.

A total of 16 former EU Commissioners, including Ciolos, are still receiving monthly payments of over EUR 8,300 each, although they left office two years ago, according to German publication Die Zeit, quoted by Politico.

Dacian Ciolos, who was the European Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development between February 2010 and November 2014, is on that list of people who are still being paid by the European Commission although they ended their mandates.

According to Politico, the payments were introduced to avoid conflicts of interest and to prevent Commissioners from changing into well-paid industry jobs immediately after leaving office.

Dacian Ciolos explained on Thursday morning that this allowance paid by the European Commission is given to every former European Commissioner.

"I’ve also seen these things that are presented as shocking news, a surprise. If you remember and look at some of my older walth declarations, I have declared these revenues  since I finished the mandate," Ciolos said on Thursday, according to local Agerpres.

He added that all former Commissioners get this transitional pay for three years after they end their term, because they have some professional restrictions. The allowance’s value is "little more than half the net salary of a commissioner". It is granted automatically, without implying any obligation for the former commissioners.

"Everything has been done transparently. No money coming from private companies that have contracts with the Government, money that come from others who have certain interests in the Government. This is money coming from a public institution, based on European regulation, that has nothing to do with the responsibility I have at the moment," Ciolos added.

He also mentioned that this allowance he is paid by the European Commission hasn't prevented him from taking a stand when he didn't agree with the Commission's proposals that also impacted Romania and that he is totally independent.

"I'm not the Prime Minister who has a To-Do list from the European Commission that says what I must do. I'm the one who said it firmly, when needed, that Romania doesn't accept refugee quotas and I negotiated to get the European Commission involved in the negotiations with Canada on eliminating visas for Romanians," Ciolos added.

Dacian Ciolos was appointed Prime Minister of Romania in November 2015. His current mandate will end in December this year when the country will organise parliamentary elections. However, Ciolos is the National Liberal Party’s official nomination for Prime Minister.

Romanian Prime Minister explains his French middle name

Irina Popescu, irina.popescu@romania-insider.com