Rumiana Jeleva faced challenging questions over an alleged conflict of interest during her hearing before MEPs today as they inquired her on her responsibility to take the portfolio of International Cooperation, Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Response. We he

Bulgaria's Commission candidate has a tough time with MEPs

Gay Mitchell of the EPP,   it was a difficult hearing for Ms Jeleva.

The first hour was given over to questions   that weren't relevant to her portfolio.

There are a lot of questions in relation   to the way the whole inquiry was handled.

Everybody's entitled to due process and   they should be treated fairly and evenly.

We will now meet as co-ordinators and   assess the questions and answers given.

If there are any remaining issues,   we'll try and address them at the meeting.

and towards the end   she looked very unhappy, very uneasy.

Hostility is the right word, and that's not   the job of a committee of inquiry.

As I said at the meeting,   the job of an auditor

is to be a watchdog, not a bloodhound.   We should take a leaf out of that book.

We really should treat our   Commissioners in the same way,

give them an opportunity to answer   questions related to their portfolio.

That's something   we have to reflect on.

We need a personality in the Commission   who is honest, open and frank.

And that for the moment is not the case.

And secondly, also on the performance,   on the substance,

we had a very weak impression by Jeleva.

We didn't come to a rush decision   of course, we need time to reflect,

we need time to give her the chance   to clarify the issues, but for the moment,

if we would have to vote now,   it would be a no.

It is a hearing, I do not have my opinion   of her fixed, I ask questions.

And there is paperwork that   she still owns a business,

nothing against owning a business, it's   all about whether you declare it or not.

Now, if it's the one paperwork against   the other paperwork, let's clarify it.

But it's not a very good way to just   try and ignore the questions asked.

And that's what surprises me   in her behaviour.