˝We are not pleased that Croatia is again being mentioned in a negative context, only a few months after joining the European Union. It is upon Mr. Mates to clarify the situation as soon as possible so as not to create damage to Croatia’s image˝, said Dubravka Šuica, Member of European Parliament during the debate in the European Parliament in Strasbourg on the election of the Croatian Member of the European Court of Auditors Neven Mates.
In May of this year, Neven Mates appeared before the Committee on Budgetary Control at the hearing that precedes any appointment to the European Court of Auditors. Based on the results of that hearing, the European Parliament gave a negative opinion on the appointment of Mr Mates. Although Mr Mates made a written commitment that in case of a negative opinion of the Parliament he would withdraw his candidacy, Mr Mates did not do and was appointed by the Council of the European Union (EU government representatives).
During today’s debates, MEPs from almost all parties asked the EU Council what it thinks about the credibility of a person who has broken a promise given to a democratically elected parliament.
On that occasion, Dubravka Šuica said: ˝The competence and qualifications of Mr. Mates were never brought into question, however his demeanor during the hearing in the EP was. I believe that this problem should be solved as soon as possible in order not to cause damage to Croatia’s image.˝
Representative Davor Ivo Stier asked one of the questioners, Social Democrat Jens Geier, whether one of the Croatian representatives from the HDZ lobbied or influenced him to ask this question. Stier explained he was prompted to ask this because of some media insinuations that the HDZ’s representatives lobbied against Mates. Geier answered Stier that no one influenced his position on Mates.
The question to the Council related to the selection of the Croatian Member of the Court of Auditors was posed by seven representatives from five caucuses: Jan Mulder (ALDE), Ingeborg Gräßle (EPP), Jens Geier (S&D), Michael Theurer (ALDE), Bart Staes (Green), Inés Ayala Sender (S&D) and Søren Bo Søndergaard (GUE).
Watch the entire speech by Dubravka Šuica in Croatian: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J77PGJMJxPE
