Labour MEP for Dublin, Proinsias De Rossa, speaking in Strasbourg today welcomed the announcement that Mrs Jeleva, the Bulgarian Commissioner Designate had withdrawn her candidature.

Mr De Rossa said: "This is a very sensible decision, in view of her very poor performance at her hearing, which I attended as a member of the Development Committee.

"The allegation by Fine Gael's EPP Group that opposition to Mrs Jeleva by Labour's Socialists and Democrats Group was politically motivated is arrant nonsense. We have given the green light to many other nominees, with whom we have major political differences.

"We base our decisions in these matters on the demonstrated ability of the candidates. For instance we have approved Maire Geoghan Quinn who has been nominated for the Innovation and Research portfolio, because she clearly established a grasp of the portfolio and a determination to drive progress forward. We will no doubt have our political differences with her as she brings in proposals, but we work here on the basis of seeking broad consensus and she made it clear that she would work in that way.

"Mrs. Jeleva received a fair hearing but demonstrated a lamentable lack of capacity to get to grips with her brief. Among other failings she could not indicate any concrete plans to deal with the ongoing humanitarian crises in Afghanistan, Gaza and Somalia. One shudders to think how the current crisis in Haiti might have been dealt with on her watch.

"We were satisfied to leave to the legal services of the European Parliament the allegations regarding her transparency concerning her business affairs. Those services have not, it seems, found a significant breach of the rules.

"The consequence of Mrs. Jeleva's withdrawal is that the final vote on the Commission will now take place around the 10th February, rather than next week, as a hearing for Bulgaria's new nominee cannot take place until the first week of February."