ROMANIA: Romania's candidate for the post of EU commissioner has rejected allegations that he collaborated with secret police during the communist era or accepted corrupt payments.
Romanian prime minister Calin Tariceanu and president Traian Basescu also backed their nominee yesterday, describing media reports carrying the allegations as unsubstantiated.
However, senator Varujan Vosganian, who was nominated on Thursday for the high profile post, has still not received the endorsement of European Commission president Jose Manuel Barroso, leading some EU insiders to speculate he is now a "dead man walking".
Mr Barroso's spokesman said consultations were still ongoing over Romania's nominee, who is relatively unknown in Brussels circles.
"There are no specific vetting procedures but there are certain requirements that a member of the commission must fulfil," said the spokesman, who denied there were problems with the nominee. "No one is afraid of anything, people are consulting."
Media reports in Romania carried two specific allegations against Mr Vosganian: that he collaborated with the Securitate secret police during the communist era and that he received money inappropriately from a businessman.
At a press conference in Bucharest Mr Vosganian strenuously denied the allegations.
"I had never co-operated . . . with the Securitate or intelligence organs," he said. "Since 1990 my income came exclusively from my salary as senator, leader of the Armenian community and the writers' union, and dividends from my two small companies." EU sources said Mr Barroso was being very careful to scrutinise Mr Vosganian's background before deciding whether to back him. "He doesn't want a repeat of the Buttiglione affair," said one source, referring to the European Parliament's rejection of the Italian nominee to the commission in 2004, who Mr Barroso had supported.
Other sources predicted Mr Vosganian was a "dead man walking" after failing to get the endorsement of Mr Barroso at a meeting with him on Thursday.
Mr Barroso endorsed Bulgaria's nominee after a meeting on the same day.
Difficulties over the appointment of the Romanian commissioner coincided with renewed tensions between EU officials and industry commissioner Gunter Verheugen.
Civil servants are reported to have asked for Mr Verheugen's resignation following his strong criticism of EU officials.
Earlier this month the German commissioner launched a scathing attack on officials saying they are far too powerful, have their own fiefdoms and advance their own opinions as the official position of the commission.