Approval will allow the executive that drafts and enforces EU laws to take office more than three months later than scheduled, and just as concerns deepen about fiscal stability in member states such as Greece, Portugal and Spain.Parliament’s backing is now considered a formality after a positive response from the assembly to Bulgaria’s nominee, Kristalina Georgieva, who had a hearing on Feb. 3.
Georgieva, a former World Bank official, replaced Bulgaria’s original candidate for humanitarian aid commissioner, Rumiana Jeleva, who withdrew her name after strong opposition to her appointment from the Socialists and Greens.
“We feel very confident that the Commission will be approved by a very substantial majority in the parliament,” Bob Fitzhenry, a spokesman for the European People’s Party, the largest group in the 736-member assembly, said on Monday.
The vote is expected at around 1230 GMT today.
The 27-person Commission -- one representative from each EU member state -- should have taken office in November, but its appointment was held up by delays in winning approval for the EU’s Lisbon reform treaty, by disagreements over the nomination of two new senior EU posts and then by Jeleva’s withdrawal.
