EUOBSERVER / BRUSSELS - EU leaders meeting for a summit in Brussels next week must appoint a new head of the European Commission and not delay the decision, said the current head of the institution and only candidate for the job, Jose Manuel Barroso. Mr Barroso, whose mandate expires at the end of October, said EU leaders should take a decision on the next commission president based on the bloc's current treaty, the Nice Treaty. French Green leader Daniel Cohn-Bendit has called Mr Barroso a political "chameleon" "It's up to the council [EU member states] and the European parliament to decide, of course based on the treaty, and the treaty in force at the moment is the Treaty of Nice," he said at a press conference in Brussels. "The European parliament was elected according to the Treaty of Nice," he stressed. But some member states, notably France and Germany, are reportedly favourable to delaying the decision and giving a simple "political backing" to Mr Barroso next week.
EUOBSERVER / BRUSSELS - EU leaders meeting for a summit in Brussels next week must appoint a new head of the European Commission and not delay the decision, said the current head of the institution and only candidate for the job, Jose Manuel Barroso.
Mr Barroso, whose mandate expires at the end of October, said EU leaders should take a decision on the next commission president based on the bloc's current treaty, the Nice Treaty.
French Green leader Daniel Cohn-Bendit has called Mr Barroso a political "chameleon"
"It's up to the council [EU member states] and the European parliament to decide, of course based on the treaty, and the treaty in force at the moment is the Treaty of Nice," he said at a press conference in Brussels.
"The European parliament was elected according to the Treaty of Nice," he stressed.
But some member states, notably France and Germany, are reportedly favourable to delaying the decision and giving a simple "political backing" to Mr Barroso next week.
French President Nicolas Sarkozy and German Chancellor Angela Merkel Thursday said they supported the re-election of European Commission head Jose Manuel Barroso for a second five-year term. "Important personnel and policy decisions must be taken immediately. That is why Germany and France support Jose Manuel Barroso," Merkel said at a joint press conference with Sarkozy in Paris. There is a "strong desire" in the newly-elected EU Parliament that the choice of a new EC head should not take the entire summer, she said. "We will support the candidacy of Mr. Barroso, without ambiguity," Sarkozy said at a joint news conference at the Elysee presidential palace. But the support for the incumbent was not unconditional, Sarkozy added.
"Important personnel and policy decisions must be taken immediately. That is why Germany and France support Jose Manuel Barroso," Merkel said at a joint press conference with Sarkozy in Paris.
There is a "strong desire" in the newly-elected EU Parliament that the choice of a new EC head should not take the entire summer, she said.
"We will support the candidacy of Mr. Barroso, without ambiguity," Sarkozy said at a joint news conference at the Elysee presidential palace. But the support for the incumbent was not unconditional, Sarkozy added.
"Important personnel and policy decisions must be taken immediately.
Pre-emptively, is what you meant to say. *Lunatic*, n. One whose delusions are out of fashion.
