OREANDA-NEWS. Parliament rejected Malta’s nominee for the European Court of Auditors, Mr Leo Brincat, in a plenary vote on Tuesday. Mr Brincat had been approved by the Budgetary Control Committee in a close vote on 5 September. But Parliament did back Portugal’s nominee, Mr João Figueiredo, and the renewal of the mandate of Cypriot member, Mr Lazaros S. Lazarou, based on the committee’s recommendations. The final decision on the appointments to the Luxembourg body will be taken by the EU Council of Ministers.

The member states nominated the following candidates (with voting outcomes):

Approved by the plenary

Mr João Figueiredo (Portugal), by 537 votes to 38, with 94 abstentions and

Mr Lazaros S. Lazarou (Cyprus), by 520 votes to 48, with 120 abstentions

Rejected by the plenary

Mr Leo Brincat – (Malta), by 229 votes in favour to 381 against, with 58 abstentions

Before the plenary vote, the nominees were heard in the Budgetary Control Committee on 5 September, which recommended endorsing all three of them. However, the vote approving the Maltese candidate was close.