Fresh controversies ahead of final vote

Just days before the crucial vote by the European Parliament in Strasbourg on the future of the new Barroso Commission, more controversies have erupted over the fate of two of the proposed commissioners.

Members of the Socialist and Liberal parliamentary groups are still not happy with Dutch Competition Commissioner-designate Neeli Kroes. Various MEPs continue to believe she will have a conflict of interests due to previous management positions she has held.

However, sources close to the Parliament told The Times that although the number of MEPs doubting Ms Kroes' mandate is substantial, it is expected that the Commission will still receive a majority of the votes.

On the other side of the European political divide, members of the European People's Party, the largest in Parliament, are finding it hard to approve Hungarian Commissioner-designate Laszlo Kovacs, who was initially earmarked as Energy Commissioner but has now been transferred to the Customs Union and Taxation portfolio. EPP members have criticised Mr Kovacs' past during the Communist era in Hungary.

In view of the recent developments, the Socialists yesterday called for next week's hearings to be conducted in "a calm and serious atmosphere".

Socialist Group vice-president Hannes Swoboda denounced what he called a renewed campaign against Mr Kovacs, including the circulation through the internet of fake images purporting to show Mr Kovacs as a Communist militia member.

Mr Swoboda said: "It is a matter of regret that in some quarters the important issue of the Commission hearings has descended into crude smears and underhand attacks".

The final vote on the new Commission will be taken next Thursday. During the last plenary session in October, Commission President-elect José Manuel Barroso decided not to present his College of Commissioners and reviewed the composition of his team because of opposition to Italian nominee Rocco Buttiglione.

Before the final vote, four new hearings must be held with the new commissioner-designates. They will take place on Monday and Tuesday.

The new Italian Commissioner-designate, Franco Frattini, who replaced Prof. Buttiglione, will undergo two separate hearings in front of the civil liberties, justice and home affairs committee and the legal affairs committee.

Andris Piebalgs, the newly nominated Latvian Commissioner-designate, will appear in front of the energy committee while Mr Kovacs is expected to be in for a rough ride before the taxation and customs union committee.

If the Commission's new line-up is approved on Thursday, the new commissioners will start their work the following week in Brussels.