European Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker has announced that he wants to leave vacant positions in the top authorities until the start of the new European Commission in November for cost reasons, vacant. Juncker said the „Bild am Sonntag“, presumably five of his EU Commissioners wanted to go to the European Parliament after the European elections.
„Now each member state has the right to send a new commissioner for the remaining four months,“ said the outgoing Commission chief, adding: „That would cost the European taxpayer one million euros per commissioner – for the move, for the staff and for the lifelong pension. Every commissioner receives it, no matter how long he was in office, because the member states have so decided. I try to prevent that. “
„Would not understand a citizen“
EU Commissioners Frans Timmermans (Netherlands), Andrus Ansip (Estonia), Valdis Dombrovskis (Latvia), Mariya Gabriel (Bulgaria) and Corina Cretu (Romania) were recently elected to the European Parliament.
The work of the outgoing commissioners could be „very well for four months of the other commissioners,“ said Juncker. Nevertheless, if national leaders insisted on recruiting posts, „no citizen would understand that,“ said the 64-year-old.
When asked what he would miss most about German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Juncker said, „It’s a lovable work of art. And if you take me a piece of art, I’m sad. But it’s not that far yet. „
