Lithuanian PM: EC President wants to have full Commission first, then assign portfolios

VILNIUS – Lithuanian Prime Minister Ingrida Simonyte says that European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is not talking to member states about the portfolios of their representatives in the future Commission as she wants to secure the full composition of the EU’s executive arm first.

“She [EU Commission President] would first of all like to consolidate the composition of the European Commission itself, that is, the people who will be members of her commission, and then decisions will be made accordingly, taking into account the people's backgrounds, their experience, their competences, regional balances ..., what kind of responsibilities these people could take on," Simonyte told the Ziniu Radijas news radio on Thursday in response to a call by President Gitanas Nauseda for Lithuania to negotiate for an economic portfolio in the Commission.

The Lithuanian prime minister and von der Leyen last week discussed the process of appointing a European Commissioner.

Simonyte stated once again that she had not discussed the issue of the EU commissioner with the president during their meeting on Wednesday, when the composition of the Cabinet was discussed.

According to the prime minister, there is time until the beginning of next week to agree on the composition of the government, and Lithuania should name the candidates for the European Commission by August 19, when von der Leyen would return from her vacation.

“I think that in any case we will somehow make these decisions within these two weeks,” Simonyte said.

The prime minister stressed that this would not have to be an official confirmation of candidates for EU commissioners among the Lithuanian institutions – it would be enough to name them at the beginning, to get von der Leyen's support for any of the names and then to approve them in the government, the presidential office and the Seimas.

According to Simonyte, the formal approval of the nomination could take place in September.

Re-appointed for a second term, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen last week asked member states to nominate two candidates for EU commissioners, one male and one female.

The ruling Conservatives say the best candidate for the European Commission is Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis, who is more associated with the foreign policy portfolio. Landsbergis himself has not commented on his chances of serving in the Commission.

The presidential office has said, however, that it sees better candidates.

In particular, President Gitanas Nauseda said on Wednesday that he was fed up with the discussions about Landsbergis and that Lithuania “has an opportunity to talk to the President of the European Commission about the economic portfolios”.