Romania has already started negotiations in Brussels for the nomination of its European commissioner, Social Democratic Party (PSD) Chairman, Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu said on Wednesday in Buzau, adding that the Social Democrats have also started discussions on this topic within their European political family.

„Romania has started negotiating, as is normal. According to a [Constitutional] Court ruling, you know perfectly well that the one to represent Romania in the Council is the country’s president, not the prime minister. As is normal, we started these negotiations and talks within the European family we are a part of, together with my colleague Victor Negrescu and the other fellow MEPs. We are in the middle of negotiations, because they must be initiated early on. The nominee is key for securing a very important portfolio,” Marcel Ciolacu said during a press conference.

Asked if current NATO Deputy Secretary General Mircea Geoana could be an option for the European Defence portfolio, the PSD leader replied that he hadn’t considered this so far.

„No, it didn’t cross my mind. (…) But now that you suggested this … I was really wondering how the Voronet Monastery would look like with the ‘Christ is Risen!’ tag, without the NATO logo, but with the Commission’s logo instead?,” Ciolacu said, alluding to the NATO senior official’s Easter message on social media that features a photo of the St. George Church of the Voronet Monastery with NATO’s logo overlaid on it.

AGERPRES