Three Romanians on Politico’s list of 40 MEPs who matter in 2017

Three Romanian members of the European Parliament (MEPs) are on the list of “40 MEPs who matter in 2017” made by political publication Politico. Sorin Moisa, 41, is at number 31 on the list. He is part of the Socialists & Democrats (S&D) political group, being a member of the International Trade Committee. “Ask Canadian officials and ministers which EU figure was most important in getting the CETA trade deal finalized and some will tell you Moisa was more crucial even than Commissioner Cecilia Malmstrom. Moisa tailored arguments in favor of the deal to micro audiences, preparing reports that broke down to a national or sectoral level the benefits of CETA. Moisa was the free-trade rock in a fractured Socialist group,” writes Politico. The publications also recalls that Sorin Moisa came out on Facebook against his fellow socialists in the Romanian government in the early stages of massive street protests early February. Moisa was also included in a similar list Politico released last year. Another Romanian included in the list of MEPs who matter in 2017 is Victor Bostinariu, also from the Socialists & Democrats group. Aged 64, he was the founding member and Secretary General of the Atlantic Council of Romania (1993 – 1996). He is at number 33 in the ranking. “Elected after Romania joined the EU club in 2007, he is considered a machine socialist and appeared to have stuck to the party line during the debate on the Romanian protest against corruption this winter,” reads the presentation made by Politico. Adina-Ioana Valean is the third Romanian on the list. Ranked 35th, she is a member of the European People’s Party (EPP). “The new chair of the powerful Environment, Public Health and Food Safety Committee is not really well-known in her home country but has climbed all political ladders in the Parliament,” Politico says about Valean. Most of the MEPs included in the list (21) are women. However, a man tops the ranking, namely the leader of the European People’s Party (EPP) in the European Parliament Manfred Weber. He is followed by Italian Antonio Tajani, and Belgian Guy Verhofstadt. The list also includes France’s Marine Le Pen, Italy’s Gianni Pittella, and Germany’s David Mcallister. Find the entire list here. Irina Popescu, irina.popescu@romania-insider.com