site.btaEC: Absence of Bulgarian Commissioner Not a Problem

EC: Absence of Bulgarian Commissioner Not a Problem

Brussels, January 6 (BTA correspondent Nikolay Jeliazkov) - Commenting on the resignation of the Bulgarian commissioner and the new nomination, European Commission Chief Spokesperson Margaritis Schinas said in Brussels on Friday: "The absence of a Bulgarian commissioner is not a problem. The Treaty of Lisbon ensures that the Commission can function legally and institutionally with less than the 28 commissioners."

He also said that the current system can ensure full continuity of both strategy and policy in such situations where it takes some time to find agreement on the best person for the new commissioner. He drew a parallel with the resignation of UK Commissioner Jonathan Hill. Schinas said that the Commission can cope without any problems until a commissioner of Bulgarian nationality is first nominated by the Bulgarian authorities and later agreed by President Juncker and appointed by the Council and Parliament.

Asked about the fate of Georgieva's team, Schinas said that cabinets are accessory to the members of the college and that the cabinet of the Bulgarian commissioner Kristalina Georgieva has been disbanded. The members of the cabinet who were commission officials have returned to their duties of origins, while the remaining temporary agents will leave the Commission at the end of a formal notice period.

He said that no changes will be made to the cabinet of Commissioner Guenther Oettinger nominated by Commission President Juncker as Georgieva's successor.