Hungarian nominee, László Trócsányi would get the European Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations portfolio in the newly-formed European Commission, EC leader Ursula von der Leyen’s announced on Tuesday.
Although it has been long supposed, that PM Viktor Orbán lobbied at von der Leyen for this portfolio and that EC’s new leader would please middle and Eastern European countries in exchange for their support, this still comes as a surprise, as most predictions forecasted von der Leyen to allocate either the Humanitarian Aid & Crisis Management or the International Cooperation & Development portfolio for him.
Speaking at a press conference, Von der Leyen said Hungary’s objectives “are clear regarding the integration of the Western Balkans, which are in line with the those of the new European Commission”. The integration of those countries will be a focal point of the new EC’s work, she said adding that “I think Hungary is the country that will precisely cooperate accordingly”.
Commissioner-nominees will be heard by the relevant European Parliament committees in September, while the voting on the new Commission is planned for October. MEPs vote about the whole Commission at once. Some still suppose that due to the Hungarian government’s debated actions and stances, Trócsányi might have a hard time at the hearings and at the vote.
featured image: Trócsányi with von der Leyen (illustration); via Facebook