Commissioner-designate for education, culture, youth and citizenship Tibor Navracsics, faced disappointment and concern from a majority of MEPs, following his performance at yesterday's hearing at the European Parliament.
Despite his statements on his respect for the EU values and his pledge to act independently, the S&D members believe that he has not dispelled the doubts about his role.
 
The EP committee on education and culture has therefore decided to give Mr Navracsics a second chance by replying in writing to a number of additional questions. 
 
S&D vice-president Tanja Fajon MEP said:
 
"During yesterday's meeting, commissioner-designate Navracsis vowed to respect EU values and uphold them throughout the EU.

"While we warmly welcome his conversion to the EU faith, we would have also expected him to say a few words of repentance about his previous life". 
 
S&D spokesperson on education and culture, Petra Kammerevert MEP, said:

"Mr Navracsics was also unconvincing in terms of knowledge of his portfolio. 
 
"He has not put forward any concrete idea on how he plans to continue developing the three programs falling within its competence, namely Erasmus +, Creative Europe and Europe for Citizens.
 
"He also did not make clear how he would like to secure and strengthen these essential instruments of its policy area."
 
Recalling a number of controversial measures recently taken by the Hungarian government, to whom the commissioner-designate belonged, Mrs Kammerevert argued that:

"They were not in line with the liberal democratic values of Europe, especially with those reflected in the cultural article of the EU Treaty.
 
"These are the main reasons why we have decided to give him a second chance to concretely address these issues in writing".

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