Decision on new EU Commission President could be delayed to July
Tuomioja says his statements on Lipponen’s chances were misinterpreted
Matti Vanhanen
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Erkki Tuomioja
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Paavo Lipponen
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Jyrki Katainen
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Sauli Niinistö
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Sources close to Finnish Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen (Centre) have confirmed reports that Ireland, the holder of the EU Presidency, might withdraw the choice of a new President for the European Commission from the agenda of the EU summit at the end of this week.
The purpose of such a move would be to keep the issue from interfering with the main business at the summit, which is the new EU constitution.
Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Erkki Tuomioja (SDP) denies having said that Speaker of Parliament Paavo Lipponen (SDP) has no chance of getting the post of Commission President.
Speaking in Parliament on Tuesday, Prime Minister Vanhanen said that there were "all kinds of rumours" about the schedule of the summit. However, he said that the goal remains that a decision on the Commission President would be made at this summit.
If the choice is postponed, a new summit could be held in July. Convening a summit for the sole purpose of choosing a Commission President would be a very costly arrangement, although it would also be possible to increase efficiency by adding other items to the agenda.
On Tuesday Vanhanen did not want to comment on Foreign Minister Tuomioja’s views on the weakened chances of Parliamentary Speaker Lipponen in the race for Commission President.
"Tuomioja was simply commenting on the election result", Vanhanen said.
Tuomioja said during the EU foreign ministers’ meeting in Luxembourg on Monday that the result of the European elections had strengthened the demands of the centre-right parties according to which the next Commission President should come from their midst.
However, Tuomioja also pointed out that "nothing can be forgotten and nothing is lost".
On Tuesday Tuomioja said that his words had been misinterpreted.
In a comment sent to Helsingin Sanomat Tuomioja said that he had been used "as a tree on which to hang a previously drawn conclusion".
"I do not consider this good journalism, even though it is regrettably common."
Lipponen did not want to comment on Tuomioja’s views on Tuesday.
The National Coalition Party said on Tuesday that if Lipponen is not named Commission President, Finland should have as heavy a portfolio as possible on the Commission.
Speaking at the party’s executive, the new party chairman Jyrki Katainen said that if the conservative EPP group gets the portfolio of Commissioner for Economic and Monetary Affairs, Finland’s National Coalition Party can offer its own candidate for the post: Sauli Niinistö, Deputy Director-General of the European Investment Bank.
Katainen criticised as naive Prime Minister Vanhanen’s view that the only post on offer at this week’s negotiations would be that of the Commission President. In Katainen’s view the political groups want to examine the situation as a whole.
Previously in HS International Edition:
Foreign Minister Tuomioja pessimistic on Lipponen's chances as Commission President (15.6.2004)
Helsingin Sanomat
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| 16.6.2004 - TODAY |
Decision on new EU Commission President could be delayed to July
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