Slovak MEPs Split on Support for New European Commission

Strasbourg, November 26 (TASR-correspondent) - A narrow majority of Slovak MEPs is expected to support the new European Commission (EC) led by Ursula von der Leyen in a vote in Strasbourg on Wednesday, TASR correspondent in Strasbourg has learnt. Six Slovak MEPs from the European Parliament (EP) political group Renew Europe (RE), who were elected on the slate of the Progressive Slovakia (PS) party, will support the new European Commission in the vote, Martin Hojsik, Vice-president of the European Parliament, confirmed to TASR. He added that the entire RE faction will also vote in favour of approving the College of Commissioners. Hojsik considers the candidacy of Hungary's Olivier Varhelyi to be the weakest link, but ultimately, Varhelyi was ultimately not assigned responsibility for the reproductive rights agenda, which Hojsik views as an important step in protecting fundamental rights within the European Union. Five independent MEPs from the Smer-SD party are still discussing possible support for the proposed Commission. However, it currently looks like they will not vote in favour of it. Monika Benova told TASR: "We don't see any reason to support the Commission at the moment," she said, adding that von der Leyen was engaging in "two-faced politics". Benova stated that some of the EU Commissioner nominations are unacceptable. She specifically mentioned the proposed Commissioner for Democracy, Justice and the Rule of Law, Michael McGrath. "He doesn't even have a legal background, so I don't understand on what basis he even wants to judge issues from the perspective of compliance with the treaties," she noted. MEPs Milan Uhrik (Europe of Sovereign Nations/ESN) and Milan Mazurek (non-attached) from the extra-parliamentary Republic party will not express their support for the proposed European Commission. The entire ESN group will also vote against it, Uhrik confirmed, adding that he sees von der Leyen as the weakest link in the Commission. In contrast, MEP Miriam Lexmann, from the largest European Parliament faction, the European People's Party (EPP) and the Christian Democratic Movement (KDH), will vote in favour of the Commission. "We in the People's Party agree that we need a new Commission as soon as possible, so that we, as EPP members, can quickly check whether they are delivering on the promises they made to us. A lot of promises have been made, and now it's important to roll up sleeves and get to work," said Lexmann. Although Lexmann has some reservations about certain proposed commissioners, she believes it is important, at a time of declining EU competitiveness, rising poverty in the Union, increasing energy and food prices, the war in Ukraine, and the strengthening of authoritarian regimes, that the Commission starts working as soon as possible. The proposed composition of the Commission will also be supported by Branislav Ondrus, a non-attached MEP from the Voice-SD party. He made this decision due to the support received by Maros Sefcovic, the Slovak nominee for the post of European commissioner, although Ondrus did not support Ursula von der Leyen for the post of EC head. lin/mcs/zel