Czech party nominates EU Parliament Quaestor Kolaja for next EU Commissioner

10 months ago 44

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Kolaja has been working on the single market, digitalisation, internet freedom and transparency in the EU Parliament. [© European Union 2019 - Source : EP]

The Czech Pirate Party has selected former EU Parliament vice-president and current Quaestor of the European Parliament Marcel Kolaja as its nominee for the post of European Commissioner via intra-party voting.

Kolaja has been working on the single market, digitalisation, internet freedom and transparency in the EU Parliament.

“The Czech Republic has repeatedly sought a strong economic portfolio. One of the key ones, which we could acquire even as a country that does not pay the euro, is the internal market agenda,” Kolaja said in a press statement.

“This (internal market) is an area where we face several challenges, from completing the digital single market to promoting the circular economy,” Kolaja says.

According to the Czech governing coalition, the Pirate Party (Greens/EFA) and Mayors and Independents (STAN, non-affiliated) have the right to nominate a Czech representative to the European Commission.

The final decision on the Czech nominee has to be confirmed by the Czech Government.

The current Czech Vice-President of the EU Commission, Věra Jourová, will not seek another mandate.

Among the potential candidates are Jozef Síkela (STAN), the current Czech Minister of Industry and Trade, and Jiří Šedivý, head of the European Defence Agency. Another potential contender is Danuše Nerudová, who expressed interest in the position. Nerudová, economist and unsuccessful candidate in this year’s Czech presidential election, is already confirmed as a co-leader of the STAN candidate list for the European elections 2024.

(Aneta Zachová | Euractiv.cz)