Yesterday, EU Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker threatened to resign at a meeting of the EPP taking place before the EU summit, should Martin Selmayr have to leave because of his questionable promotion to Secretary-General of the EU Commission. „If he leaves, I leave, too,“ Juncker said. This statement came directly before the publication of the EU Commission’s answers to the 130 questions of the EU Parliament in the Selmayr affair, which are expected today.
MEP Sven Giegold, European Parliament rapporteur for transparency, accountability and integrity in the EU institutions, comments:
„Juncker’s threat to resign is a disrespect for the democratic investigation of the Parliament. Instead of adding more fuel to the flames with his threats, Juncker should contribute to the inquiry. It is grotesque that the EU Commission President makes his fate conditional on the career of an EU official. Juncker is at the service of European citizens, not of Martin Selmayr.
Juncker’s disparaging behaviour towards the European Parliament is nothing new: during the LuxLeaks tax scandal investigation he refused to be heard. The questions of the European Parliament on the cloak-and-dagger promotion of Selmayr are more than justified. Europe’s reputation with the citizens suffers from such questionable promotion procedures. Juncker’s stroppy reaction ignores the loss of confidence that Europe could suffer. I call on Juncker to play a constructive role in the investigation of Selmayr’s ad hoc promotion. Europe’s credibility is at stake.“
The article on SPIEGEL Online can be found here (in German only): http://www.spiegel.de/politik/ausland/eu-jean-claude-juncker-droht-mit-ruecktritt-sollte-martin-selmayr-gehen-a-1199478.html
The article of POLITICO can be found here: https://www.politico.eu/article/martin-selmayr-juncker-goes-i-go/