Socialisten in EP milder over EU-commissaris Barrot (en)

EUOBSERVER / BRUSSELS - Just as the heat was being turned up on French Commissioner Jacques Barrot, he was on Monday (22 November) given an unexpected reprieve by the Socialists - the second largest group in the European Parliament.

Mr Barrot came under strong criticism from the leaders of both the Socialists and the Liberals over the weekend for not revealing that in 2000 he had been convicted and given an eight-month suspended sentence over illegal party financing.

On Monday, a spokesperson for the European Commission also admitted that the timing of the revelations could have been better - particularly as José Manuel Durao Barroso, the Commission President, was not aware of Mr Barrot's conviction.

"Obviously, of course [Mr Barroso] would have preferred to know about this situation", said the spokeswoman.

However, depite strong language over the weekend, the Socialist group now appears to be more conciliatory to Mr Barrot.

Having received an explanatory letter from the French Commissioner over the details of the case and why it was not divulged, leader of the Socialists Martin Schulz said:

"The letter of explanation has now been sent and it is up to Parliament's legal service to evaluate the arguments in the letter".

"If the legal service considers that the explanations given in this letter are satisfactory, then as far as the Socialist Group is concerned, the affair is over", said Mr Schulz in a statement.

The liberal leader, Graham Watson, has maintained his calls for Mr Barrot to resign saying it would prevent "further damage" to the Commission.

"[Mr Barrot] has offered to come before MEPs and explain matters. We will listen to him politely and attentively. But there can be few explanations when the facts of the matter are clear: he was convicted of a criminal offence and did not reveal it".

However, according to one parliament insider, the mood in the Brussels assembly is no longer one of confrontation. "I don't think this will come to anything", said the official adding that most MEPs now want to start work.

100 percent confidence

Mr Barrot's letter of explanation to MEPs explained how the case brought against all senior members of the CDS social democrat party in France was closed in 2000, with an amnesty.

Explaining that under French law no mention is then allowed to be made of the judgement, Mr Barrot wrote, "this is why I did not think it necessary to mention a sentence covered by an amnesty in a case which, at the time, had been widely publicised".

Eager to put the whole affair behind him and start the Commission's real work after three weeks of delay, Mr Barroso noted in interviews with several European newspapers that he had 100 percent confidence in all of his commissioners.