EU-landen negeren bezwaren Europees Parlement bij benoeming Kroatisch lid van Rekenkamer (en)

BRUSSELS - The European Parliament was left frustrated after EU countries endorsed a Croatian candidate for the Court of Auditors i despite being rejected by MEPs just a month ago.

The EU Council on Wednesday (10 July) appointed Neven Mates as Croatia's man in the Luxembourg-based court.

Mates, who used to work for the International Monetary Fund and who is currently an advisor to the head of Croatia's central bank, will do the job of overseeing EU spending for the next six years on a basic salary of €19,113 a month.

The move comes despite the fact MEPs on the budgetary control committee in May and in plenary in June said he is unfit to do the work.

He lost the committee vote by 16 to 11 before then being rejected in the plenary vote by 396 to 231.

Under the EU treaty, the Council appoints nominees after "consulting" parliament although it is not obliged to respect the MEPs' opinion.

But in practice, EU countries follow the parliament's lead to avoid political clashes at a time when the European assembly is growing in power and confidence.

To add insult to injury, Mates himself had indicated he would not take the post if MEPs did not endorse him.

He told the budgetary control committee in his hearing: "In case of a negative opinion, it is quite likely that I would withdraw my candidacy, after careful consideration of all [the] objections."

The parliament on Wednesday criticised the Council's decision.

But in a sign it is unwilling to confront EU countries over the appointment, its press statement was sent only to Croatian journalists and circulated only in Croatian, instead of being published on its main website in multiple EU languages as normal.

The head of budgetary control committee, German Liberal Michael Theurer i, said: "The decision of the Council is difficult to understand … [and] shows disrespect to the European Parliament."

The rapporteur on the Court of Auditors process, Spanish Socialist Ines Ayala Sender i, added: "I am shocked that Mr Mates did not keep his word … This is certainly not a good start for future relations with parliament."