Romania confirms EU commission candidates despite outcry

Romania's left-wing government confirmed its two candidates for the country's European Commission post Friday, despite criticism from the opposition who say the pair have been tarnished by corruption allegations.

The two candidates, Rovana Plumb and Dan Nica, are both former MEPs and members of the ruling Social Democrats (PSD).

"They have a very good knowledge of European institutions and know what the post of commissioner entails," PSD Prime Minister Viorica Dancila said in a press conference Friday.

However, the opposition has branded the pair unsuitable given their previous legal entanglements and closeness to former PSD chef Liviu Dragnea, who was jailed earlier this year for corruption offences.

"Dan Nica and Rovana Plumb supported the anti-European line taken by Liviu Dragnea and defended his war against the justice system and the rule of law," said Dacian Ciolos on Wednesday, himself a former EU commissioner and now the head of the liberal Renew Europe group of MEPs.

The "war" referred to by Ciolos consisted of a series of reforms to the justice system pushed by the PSD which were strongly opposed by the opposition and by Brussels, concerned that they would set back the fight against corruption in Romania.

Nica, 59, is a former communications minister while Plumb, also 59, was previously environment minister before becoming minister for European funds.

The opposition pointed out that Nica was suspected of taking bribes in a scandal dating back to the government's purchase of Microsoft software licences in 2004.

The case was subsequently dropped due to the statute of limitations.

As for Plumb, she was accused of approving decisions in 2013 relating to the ownership of an island in the Danube river which then benefited a company close to Dragnea.

However, in 2017 parliament refused to lift her immunity, meaning anti-corruption prosecutors had to drop their investigation into the case.

Dancila rebuffed the criticism of the candidates, accusing the opposition of "tarnishing the image" of Romania, but also admitted that the incoming commission president Ursula von der Leyen might reject them both.

"If these suggestions aren't good then we will make others," Dancila said.

Romania currently holds the regional development portfolio within the commission and hopes to retain an equally prominent post in the new team, such as energy or transport.