Baltic Conservatives Back Dombrovskis' Candidacy for EC President
Former Latvian Prime Minister Valdis Dombrovskis told a local Latvian morning television program Thursday that he’s the conservative candidate of the Baltic States for the President of the European Commission (EC).
The Lithuanian conservatives, currently in opposition, expressed support for his candidacy, uudised.err.ee reported.
According to former Lithuanian Prime Minister Andrius Kubilius, the election of Dombrovskis would be a recognition to the Baltic contribution in implementing anti-crisis measures with the European currency.
The European People’s Party, uniting christian-democratic and conservative parties of Europe, will select a candidate at their congress, to be held March 6-7 in Dublin. Other possible candidates include former Prime Minister of Luxembourg and former president of the Eurogroup Jean-Claude Juncker, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, Irish government (Taoiseach) leader Enda Kelly, and Finnish Prime Minister Jyrki Katainen.
According to conservative Estonian MEP and member of the EPP Tunne Kelam, both Katainen and Dombrovskis are strong candidates. Dombrovskis, however estimates his chances of becoming the president of the EU’s executive body to be modest.
Meanwhile, the EU liberals have selected two candidates: the Current Economic Commissioner Olli Rehn and former Belgian Prime Minister and head of the liberal faction in the European Parliament Guy Verhofstadt. According to EC’s deputy secretary-general Henrik Hololei, several liberal parties have rallied behind Rehn, including the Estonian Reform Party.
Martin Schulz, the President of the European Parliament, will represent the socialists in the race.