ZAGREB, April 16, 2019 - The European Parliament on Tuesday endorsed the appointment of Croatian candidate Ivana Maletić to the European Court of Auditors, although an EP rapporteur said earlier her nomination was political and non-transparent.

Maletić's appointment was supported by 329 MEPs, 264 were against and 55 abstained.

The EP rapporteur on the appointment of Court of Auditors judges, Estonia's Indrek Tarand, said before the vote that nearly all candidates were chosen politically.

He said at a plenary in Strasbourg that Maletić had very good professional references for the Court of Auditors but that the nomination procedure, notably in new member states, was far from transparent. Romania and Croatia did not meet the high standards envisaged by EU treaties in the nomination process, he added.

Tarand called on member states to always publicly nominate two candidates, and to also take gender balance into consideration.

Croatian MEP Željana Zovko called Tarand's statements ideological and inappropriate.

Maletić did not comment. Last week, she was interviewed and supported by the EP Committee on Budgetary Control, whereas Romania's candidate, Viorel Stefan, was not and his rejection was confirmed by the EP.

The EP gives its opinion on the candidates for the European Court of Auditors, while the final decision is made by the Council, which is not obliged to follow the EP's opinion.

Although the EP's opinion is non-binding, Maletić pledged before the Committee on Budgetary Control that she would scrap her candidacy if the EP did not support it. She said that if appointed to the Court of Auditors, she would leave all political functions, including the position of vice president of the HDZ party.

More news about Croatia and the EU can be found in the Politics section.

ZAGREB, February 28, 2019 - The parliamentary European Affairs Committee on Wednesday supported, by a majority vote and one vote against, MEP Ivana Maletić's (HDZ) candidacy for a member of the European Court of Auditors in the period from 2019 to 2025, with Maletić saying that she would freeze her membership in the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) for that period.

The only vote against was cast by independent MP Marin Škibola, who asked Maletić whether it was fair that she be appointed by "political decree without any selection process or test of her competence."

Maletić has been nominated by the government and parliament has to confirm that decision.

Maletić will be interviewed by the European Parliament and has to obtain approval from the European Council.

Speaking to the press, Maletić said that this was "an important step forward" in her professional career.

The Court of Auditors deals with financial audits, efficiency and compliance audits, special reports, such as reports on the new multi-annual financial framework, and regulations on EU funds, she said.

Maletić denied that she was in fact nominated due to inter-party disputes with Andrej Plenković and was in fact being marginalised by the party.

She added that when she took up the new position, she would freeze her membership in the HDZ.

More news on Croatia and the EU can be found in the Politics section.