Eastern EU states countering "secretive" POTEU/HR nomination process

[Al.]

Bold move on their part. Problem is, although it shows up the EU's "transparency" as the opacity it really is, it doesn't make the process democratic, nor does it increase their chances of getting any of the posts.

It's interesting that the former Latvian president compared the EU to the Soviet Union. Vladimir Bukovsky did that as well...and if anyone cannot see the parallels between the Treaty of Lisbon (your constitution, folks) and the constitution of the Soviet Union, said people (with all due respect) need an eye checkup or to remove those rose-coloured glasses...

EUobserver

[size=4]Eastern states counter EU's secretive nomination process[/size]

[size=1]ANDREW WILLIS
13.11.2009 @ 09:39 CET[/size]

EUOBSERVER / BRUSSELS – Eastern Europe is chipping away at the secretive nomination process for new EU posts created under the Lisbon Treaty, with Estonian President Toomas Hendrik Ilves formally throwing his name into the ring on Thursday (12 November).

The president, whose name was put forward by Estonian Prime Minister Andrus Ansip, joins a select few daring to be named as official candidates, as fears of failure and obligations to current jobs keep the process shrouded in secrecy.

Mr Ilves, a centrist Social Democrat and former MEP, says he is interested in both the European Council presidency post and that of the high representative for foreign affairs.

The former position will co-ordinate and 'drive forward' the work of the regular EU leaders' meetings, while the latter will become the EU's top diplomat and also a member of the European Commission – a beefed-up version of the job currently held by Javier Solana. ...

Soviet-style secrecy

Former Lavian president Vaira Vike-Freiberga, also a declared candidate for the European Council presidency job, said on Thursday that the process was being conducted with Soviet-style secrecy and contempt for the public.

The Baltic state's former leader attacked the EU for operating in "darkness and behind closed doors" and said it should "stop working like the former Soviet Union."

Together with Mr Ilves, and former Irish Prime Minister John Bruton, the three form a small pocket of outliers from a larger group of former and current statesmen who wish to keep their names off the official candidates' list.

Current frontrunner for the presidency job, Belgian Prime Minister Herman Van Rompuy, along with his counterpart in the Netherlands, Peter Balkenende, and ex-UK prime minister Tony Blair have been mentioned as being in the running for the presidency post but have never formally declared an interest.

In a bid to add greater legitimacy to the whole process, Poland recently said that the candidates should hold job interviews in front of the 27 EU leaders.

"The approval procedure should be as transparent and democratic as possible. This will enhance the consensus surrounding those candidates who are eventually chosen," said a position paper put forward by the country. ...

[Clanrickard]

Bold move on their part. Problem is, although it shows up the EU's "transparency" as the opacity it really is, it doesn't make the process democratic, nor does it increase their chances of getting any of the posts.
l]

Hey lighten up! The eurolemings will be along to tell us all that this another smear by europhobes and everything is tickety boo,

[CookieMonster]

Hey lighten up! The eurolemings will be along to tell us all that this another smear by europhobes and everything is tickety boo,

The Tories are behind it. Those evil b****rds!

[Al.]

That's another misnomerous epithet, "europhobes". Fear of the EU is not the same as fear of Europe. It's tiresome how the EUphiles (I'll have to change my own language now) conflate the European Union with Europe proper.

[myksav]

Bold move on their part. Problem is, although it shows up the EU's "transparency" as the opacity it really is, it doesn't make the process democratic, nor does it increase their chances of getting any of the posts.

It's interesting that the former Latvian president compared the EU to the Soviet Union. Vladimir Bukovsky did that as well...and if anyone cannot see the parallels between the Treaty of Lisbon (your constitution, folks) and the constitution of the Soviet Union, said people (with all due respect) need an eye checkup or to remove those rose-coloured glasses...

EUobserver

Bah, that's just another smear by some europhobes.

[Al.]

But is everything "tickety-boo"...?

[eyeswideopen]

Excellent. Game on.

[jcdf]

That's another misnomerous epithet, "europhobes". Fear of the EU is not the same as fear of Europe. It's tiresome how the EUphiles (I'll have to change my own language now) conflate the European Union with Europe proper.

What is Europe proper?

[Al.]

What is Europe proper?

The continent, of course. The EU and the continent are not the same thing.