An MEP’s Agenda

The 32 Romanian MEPs who have won their seats in Sundays ballot have already started to outline their political agenda for their Brussels term in office.

Bogdan Matei, 30.05.2014, 12:30

Five years ago, several politicians were elected MEPs, in the first European parliamentary elections held in Romania. During their term in office, the Romanian voters heard almost nothing about them, with a few exceptions, as the elected politicians hardly did anything that could make them known in Europe. They simply cashed in their hefty salaries, according to Romanian standards, without doing anything special.

Once those politicians’ terms in office was over, they unassumingly bowed out. This month’s European parliamentary elections brought along changes, as they were a new test, a fresh selection process for Romania’s representatives at European level. Opening up the lists of the leading parties were people who did a good job in Brussels. Their being re-elected has emerged as the most relevant validation of their political performance. Having won their second term in office, some of the Romanian MEPs say they will continue to promote and reach their major objectives. Opening the Social Democrats’ list, Corina Cretu pledged she would defend the Romanian citizens’ interests, which have recently become the target of the extremist parties’ xenophobic rhetoric.

Corina Cretu: ”During these trying times, when almost 30% of the EP structure is made up of extremist parties, who have turned Romanian citizens, Romanian workers, Romania, into their target, we should defend these people’s rights.”

A staunch supporter of European security, Liberal Norica Nicolai vowed she would further be a member of the European Parliament’s Defense Committee, where she would support the drafting of a common policy in the field.

Norica Nicolai: ”The Union should take into consideration the opportunities provided by the Lisbon Treaty. There are two clauses enabling the Union to draft a common defense policy. We could all see how frail we are before any possible risk. In a global world, we can no longer live on our own, as far as regional policies are concerned. We need everyone’s participation, we need to put together competences and skills.”

MEP Iuliu Winkler, a member of the Democratic Union of Ethnic Hungarians in Romania says he would have liked Romania to have a political say, in keeping with its demographic and territorial status.

Iuliu Winkler: “We keep saying we are the European Union’s seventh largest country, but right now we have failed to fill that position, considering the influence or the power to capitalize on the country’s interests in the European Parliament and the European institutions. So we also need to make some progress, to that effect.”

Also affiliated to the European People’s Party, Cristian Preda, a member of the People’s Movement Party intends to carry on with his activity in the European Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee.

Cristian Preda: “I intend to reach all the goals I set during the campaign, such as Schengen accession, joining the Eurozone, Romania’s participation in the European economy’s consolidation process. ”

Elected for a second term in office or first-timers, the Romanian MEPs have no other choice than be very careful about grading their performance, so as to meet the Romanian voters’ and their parties’ expectations, and to comply with the community legislator status, analysts say.