The portfolio which has been entrusted to Valdis Dombrovskis at the European Commission covers the economy and productivity, and that is a very influential “heavyweight portfolio,” Latvian Prime Minister Evika Silina declared on Tuesday at a news conference.
The prime minister said that Dombrovskis will handle issues related to a reduction in bureaucracy, adding that in her opinion, that is very important. The decision also signals that Dombrovskis is highly respected in the EU and that his professionalism will allow him to continue his work on the European Commission.
Ms Silina also noted that countries such as Italy and France have handled the portfolio in the past: “This is also a portfolio under which the budgets and macroeconomic indicators of the EU’s member states are monitored, which means that it has considerable influence within the union.”
As has been reported, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen presented the new membership of the commission for the next five years on Tuesday.
The new commission will begin work on November 1.
Latvia’s member, Mr Dombrovskis, will be the commissioner for economics and productivity, as well as the commissioner for implementation and simplification.
Former Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas has been tipped to serve as executive vice president for foreign and security policy and high representative for foreign affairs and defence policy.
Andrius Kubilius, a former prime minister of Lithuania, will serve as commissioner for defence and space. He will also work on the further development of the European Defence Union so as to boost investments and industrial capacity in this regard.
Source: BNS
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