The European People's Party insisted once more today that Leo Brincat is not a suitable person to join the European Court of Auditors.

“The European Parliament rejected his nomination last plenary session by 381 votes against, 229 in favour and 58 abstentions. This result means that an absolute majority of the 751 MEPs did not feel Brincat to be the right person for the job”, said Petri Sarvamaa MEP, EPP Group Spokesman in the Budgetary Control Committee of the European Parliament, following the approval of the nomination by the permanent representatives of EU Member States, COREPER.

The nomination of a judge to the ECA falls under the Consultation Procedure, a special legislative procedure that requires the Council to take into account the European Parliament's opinion.

“The European Parliament, as the only democratically-elected institution, sent a strong signal to the council. By ignoring it, the council is ignoring the voice of the EU citizens”, the Finnish MEP said in a statement issued by the EPP.

It is likely that EU leaders will go ahead with Mr Brincat's nomination in the Council of Ministers of the European Union in two days' time.

The EPP - which includes the Nationalist Party - forms the biggest bloc in the European Parliament but does not have a majority. 

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