Ex Agriculture Minister, Ciolos, Could Become European Commissioner

• Dacian Ciolos: "If I"m nominated, I will accept"

Cătălin Deacu

Former Agriculture Minister Dacian Ciolos has a very good chance to become E.U. Commissioner for Agriculture. Romania has until 15 May to nominate a candidate for the office of European Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development to replace Denmark"s Mariann Fischer Boel. Official sources told BURSA that Romania"s nomination would be former Agriculture Minister Dacian Ciolos.

Ciolos is strongly supported by Romanian farmer organizations, the majority of political parties represented in Parliament and especially by European institutions, as he was part of the European Commission Delegation to Romania and the Special Committee on Agriculture to the European Council in 2002-2003. Upon accession to the European Union, Romania received the office of European Commissioner for Multilingualism, which is currently held by Ludovic Orban. According to our sources, Romania has a very good chance to nominate the Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development in the future organization of the Commission.

Two main reasons support such decision: Romania has a tremendous agricultural potential, which could prove substantial enough to feed some 80 million EU citizens, and is supported by Italy, France and other EU Members with strong agricultural interests among whom there is a gentlemen"s agreement on this matter. Specifically, France, Italy and other Members with a strong agriculture are competitors and have come to a more or less official agreement that the Commissioner for Agriculture should be appointed by a small- or middle-sized country. Denmark is the latest example in this respect. As Poland is "disqualified" for being too large a country, Romania would be the favourite.

The Romanian Royal Family is lobbying for this appointment having already met with the Agrostar Federation of farmers" associations in Romania. Apparently, the Royal Family will also approach counterparts in Belgium and Britain, who have a significant influence on Brussels, to support Romania.

Contacted by BURSA, former Agriculture Minister Dacian Ciolos said he would accept to be nominated for the office of European Commissioner for Agriculture. "Romania has a real chance to receive the office of European Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development. If I"m nominated, I will accept! There have been talks on this subject, but what"s important to unite our efforts and stage a strong lobby abroad," he said.

According to our sources, Ciolos is supported by PD-L and PNL, while negotiations are in place to secure the Social Democrats" support. Ciolos is favoured both for his achievements as Minister of Agriculture and his political neutrality. He is also supported by farmer organizations. Agrostar President Stefan Nicolae said his organization would formally state their support for Ciolos in a document to the Government, the Parliament and the Presidency. The document would also be signed by LAPAR and FNPAR and become the farmers" unified point of view in favour of Ciolos" nomination as E.U. Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development.