Brussels (The Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Polish MEP Bogdan Rzońca has expressed the Hard times ahead for commissioner nominees Serafin, Fitto, and Hoekstra.
PiS MEP Bogdan Rzońca (ECR) has said that Poland’s Piotr Serafin will face many difficulties if he thrives in becoming the new EU budget commissioner, while Italian and Dutch commissioners-designate Raffaele Fitto and Wopke Hoekstra are likely to be examined the most during parliamentary hearings.
What challenges will Piotr Serafin face as budget commissioner?
Serafin, known as a trusted associate of Prime Minister Donald Tusk, will be the second Pole to be given the budget portfolio in the European Commission, after Janusz Lewandowski (PO, EPP), who performed as budget commissioner in the second Barroso Commission (2010-2014).
According to PiS MEP Bogdan Rzońca, a member of the European Parliament‘s Budgets Committee, he will have a lot on his scale in the coming years. “Honestly, I wouldn’t like to be in his place, although, of course, I wish him good luck,” Rzońca said.
How might cohesion policy reforms impact Poland’s funding?
Another important issue is the planned reform of cohesion policy, which will highlight innovation and digital transformation more. Some beneficiaries are worried that the priority change will result in less money being available for infrastructure, Rzońca stated. He commented that this is a particularly important point for Poland, the biggest beneficiary of cohesion funds.
Asked by Media whether he expected opposition from Western MEPs to the idea of putting the budget file in the hands of a candidate from a nation that is the biggest beneficiary of EU funds, he acknowledged that there could be some discontent but stated that not all member states wanted the portfolio, given the difficulty of the job.
What could affect Raffaele Fitto’s cohesion and reform commission role?
He mentioned the Italian Raffaele Fitto, who has been selected as Commission Vice-President for Cohesion and Reform, and the Dutchman Wopke Hoekstra, who has been listed to take over the climate portfolio, as among the candidates most likely to be grilled. In the case of Fitto, the Italian government’s highly suspicious approach to the European Green Deal could be a problem, while Hoekstra is likely to confront questions about his country’s and his tough policy to fiscal policy, according to Rzońca.
