Allister comments on key EU appointments, including Communist for Fisheries
28 November 2009
Commenting on the appointment of Maria Damanaki from Greece as the new EU Commissioner with responsibility for fisheries, former MEP and TUV Leader, Jim Allister, expressed concern as to her ability to relate to the huge needs of the Northern Ireland fishing industry and as to whether she would ever face up to the root and branch change needed in the disastrous Common Fisheries Policy.
Commenting Mr Allister said:
"It's hard to be enthusiastic about the appointment of someone, with no track record of interest in fishing and with a political perspective moulded in her hard left background - she having entered politics as a Communist and still part of the radical Left in Greece - to a portfolio in Brussels which is very important for Northern Ireland. Someone with an ideological commitment to centralist control is unlikely to see much wrong with the CFP.
It is one of the dysfunctional disasters of the EU that because of surrender of control of fishing to Brussels we are at the whim of whoever is appointed. Appointed not with regard to their commitment to the subject but because of the political horse-trading which determines which unelected bureaucrat will be gifted control of each portfolio. I trust I am proved wrong by I do not believe this is a good choice for our fishing industry, fishing itself having been downgraded in a portfolio now more dominated by other marine issues."
Commenting on the appointment of Romanian, Dacian Ciolos, as Agriculture Commissioner Mr Allister said, "Whereas I'd have preferred the appointment of someone from northern Europe, at least Mr Ciolos has some track record of involvement in agricultural issues. It is important that he rises above the particular agenda and demands of the eastern European member states and commits to the centrality of ensuring Europe is facilitated to produce the rising volumes of food required for the future and is freed from the unnecessary bureaucracy which holds us back and advantages imports."
