Latvia picks new EU candidate after first choice rejected

RIGA (AFP) - Latvia put forward a new candidate for the European Commission after incoming EU Commission president Jose Manuel Barroso asked the Baltic state to withdraw its previous choice, Ingrida Udre.
Latvian Prime Minister Indulis Emsis told reporters that the Baltic state was nominating Andris Piebalgs, who worked in Brussels as the number two under Latvia's first commissioner Sandra Kalniete.
"After long discussions we decided that the Latvian candidate will be Andris Piebalgs. It was a unanimous decision of the government," he said.
Barroso had sent an official letter to the Latvian government requesting a new candidate.
Latvia's Udre, commissioner-designate for tax and customs policy, was among four or five nominees with questions marks over them, either because of alleged conflicts of interest or failure to impress EU lawmakers.
Latvia, a small Baltic former Soviet state, joined the European Union in May.

11/02/2004 - 13:09 GMT - AFP