For the first time since joining the European Union, Romania obtained a position of vice-president of the European Commission, a position that will be occupied by Roxana Mînzatu.
Roxana Manzatu. PHOTO Facebook Roxana Mânzatu
Roxana Mînzatu, the candidate from Romania, received one of the six positions of vice-presidents in the new European Commission, whose formula was announced on Tuesday by Ursula von der Leyen.
The portfolio allocated to Romania is “Skills and Education, Jobs and social rights, demography”.
“Romania obtained the position of vice-president of the European Commission and one of the most important portfolios – Skills and Education, Jobs and social rights, demography. A major portfolio, which will administer a fifth of the EU budget, 235 billion euros to be exact. Practically, Romania becomes part of the decision in the European Union“, Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu wrote on Facebook.
“The Romanians’ efforts have also received well-deserved recognition through this portfolio”
Roxana Mînzatu, Romania’s proposal for European Commissioner, will coordinate both the education part and the area of social policies, but also the definancing programs related to these areas, namely the European Social Fund Plus, the Social Fund for Climate and Erasmus+.
“Today, the efforts of the Romanians received well-deserved recognition through this portfolio that combines significant political weight and substantial EU funds, with solid legislative and political potential and essential access to the Commission’s services and agencies. Today, Romania is represented at the highest level of the Union’s leadership by: vice-president of the European Commission and commissioner of one of the most relevant portfolios in the architecture of the new Commission – Mrs. Roxana Manzatu, vice-president of the European Parliament – Mr. Victor Negrescu, president of one of the most important commissions in the EP – the REGIO Commission, for regional development – Mr. Dragoș Benea”the prime minister added.
These important positions occupied by Romania, through members of the European social-democratic family, obviously represent a recognition for the first time of the role and importance of our country at the level of the European Union, Ciolacu also said.
“All those who denigrated our country and our ability to negotiate in Brussels received an extremely hard lesson today: it is never good to speak ill of your country abroad, but to fight and contribute to its development”. the prime minister also specified.
We remind you that Marcel Ciolacu’s first option for the position of European Commissioner was Victor Nergrescu, presented by the Prime Minister in Brussels on August 22. However, Ursula von der Leyen asked Romania to nominate a woman for the post of European Commissioner, and Marcel Ciolacu proposed Roxana Mînzatu.
The prime minister then stated that he wants, for Romania, a portfolio in the economic area and that he discussed these aspects with several influential European leaders.
Who is Roxana Manzatu?
Roxana Mînzatu (Member of the European Parliament) is 44 years old, a graduate of the Faculty of Political and Administrative Sciences of the University of Bucharest.
He graduated in 2002 with a degree in Political Science and English. In 2005, he graduated with a master’s degree in European integration and in 2022, the Public Leadership Credential program from the Harvard Kennedy School of Government. Since 2004, he has been an integration advisor in the Ministry of European Integration, and then a project manager, consultant and trainer in companies in the country and abroad.
He has extensive experience in the field of European funds, he led the Romanian Business School foundation in Brașov and implemented numerous projects with European funding for companies, public administrations or NGOs.
Public positions since master’s
Since her master’s degree, Roxana Mînzatu has also held public positions, also acting as a PSD member. He was a county councilor, in the Brașov County Council, for two terms, sub-prefect of Brașov county, and in 2015, state secretary in the Ministry of European Funds.
Later, he also served as president of the National Agency for Public Procurement, he also held a deputy’s mandate from PSD Brașov and for a few months he was also minister of European funds, also nominated by the social democrats.
In June 2024, he ran for the European Parliament for PSD and obtained a European Parliament mandate. Until the elections, he was the coordinating secretary of the Department for the Integrated Evaluation and Monitoring of Programs Financed from Public and European Funds.
According to her wealth declaration, until now, Roxana Mînzatu is the only owner of an urban land and a house in Brașov and has an annual salary of 116,808 lei as secretary of state, and her husband, executive director at the Customs Authority Romanian, appears with an annual salary of 118,984 lei. Roxana Mînzatu also earns 3,865 lei from OPCOM, and no cars, jewelry or bank accounts appear in the wealth declaration. However, he has a bank loan of 40,000 lei, due this year. However, he loaned the Social Democratic Party 150,000 lei, which is more than he earns in a year.
What does the portfolio allocated to Romania entail
“Skills and Education, Jobs and Social Rights, Demography” is one of the most substantial portfolios in terms of EU funding, with significant stakes in the next multiannual financial framework, according to the European Commission.
The portfolio includes responsibility for the European Social Fund Plus, the Social Climate Fund and Erasmus+, which represent almost a fifth of the EU budget.
Legislative and political role
The portfolio has legislative responsibilities in the areas of free movement of workers and social law, shaping EU labor law and labor mobility legislation.
It also includes the enforcement of responsibilities in areas such as minimum wage, platform work, working time and occupational health and safety. In addition, it focuses significantly on the coordination of Member States’ policies in the fields of employment, education and vocational training.
Institutional weight
The person responsible for this portfolio works with the Commission’s services dealing with employment, social affairs and inclusion, as well as those working in education.
The portfolio also involves the coordination of a number of decentralized agencies, including the European Labor Authority.
Institutionally, the person in charge of this portfolio will represent the College in two Council formations: Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumers (EPSCO) and the Education, Youth, Culture and Sport Formation of the Council (EYCS).
