Postage-stamp politics
Since Várhelyi’s nomination, lawmakers — along with others in the Brussels health and agriculture policy bubbles — have questioned his expertise on animal welfare issues and noted that his close ties with the Hungarian government could have a negative impact on health policies.
“Várhelyi needs to clarify that he’s not exercising Orbán’s health policy in the Commission,” Peter Liese, the EPP coordinator for ENVI, told journalists last week. While he noted that Várhelyi “has background and knowledge on health,” he added that “for animal welfare, that is not the case.”
The liberals of Renew are also unhappy to have Várhelyi on health policy. “When we look at his portfolio, there are different responsibilities and the one that is the most concerning for us is on public health policies,” Renew’s ENVI coordinator Pascal Canfin said last week.
Animal welfare organizations, meanwhile, mostly welcomed a commissioner dedicated to the issue, but aren’t thrilled by the individual choice.
“It is clear by now that Olivér Várhelyi’s cumulative knowledge on animal welfare wouldn’t fill the back of a postage stamp,” NGO Four Paws boss Joe Moran told POLITICO.
Animals need “a strong commissioner in a strong DG,” he added. “That isn’t Commissioner-designate Várhelyi, and it’s not DG SANTE. We hope MEPs act accordingly.”
Max Griera contributed to this report.
