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Three hours lasted the hearing of Maria Damanaki who is a candidate for Commissioner of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries. The procedure was held in a positive atmosphere as the members of the European Parliament expressing their content of the answers they were receiving by Maria Damanaki.

In the beginning Mrs. Damanaki had to change the negative impression about her made by the introductory words of the chairman of the meeting Carmen Franga-Estevaz a Hispanic from the Christian-democratic party. Mrs. Damanaki had to answer in advance in written form questions given to her about the policy which she has chosen to follow.

Mrs. Estavez expressed her dissatisfaction from the answers of Mrs. Damanaki saying that many unclear points remain and the desire of Greek candidate to bind with specific actions is not shown. “Through the questions which will be given you today the European members of Parliament will give you another opportunity to clearly explain how will the European commission bind in front of the Parliament to the topics of the respective field and in what way will the European members of Parliament in the joint committees for the implementation of the contracts related to fisheries as well as in the conferences related in which are present international organizations” finished her speech the president.

In the short time of ten minutes Mrs. Damanaki discussed her positions before passing to the procedure when European members of Parliament start to ask their questions. In four words Mrs. Damanaki summarized her fisheries policy: abundance, democratic responsibility, world dimensional and consideration.

The European Parliament organized the hearings of the 26 candidates for Commissionaires who were offered by the chairman of the European commission Jose Barroso. The aim of the hearings is for three hours the European members of Parliament to judge the knowledge, capability and intentions of the candidates for Commissionaires in the respective fields.  

The final voting will be held on January 26^th on a special plenary session of the European Parliament in Brussels. The new Commissionaires will take their terms of office on February 1^st for a term of five years.