It sounds better than I the robot. And needed a sweetener to go on and acknowledge that I was one.

The fact that I am stupefied with the way the leadership of DG Justice of European Commission has dealt with Roma issues is not something I tried to hide. That some of the unprepared speeches and most of the actions taken by ex Commissioner for justice Viviane Reding and Roma Unit show an embarrassing disregard for anti-Gypsyism is also something I am standing by. That too much EU funds are wasted on poorly thought conferences and inept projects and that consultation with Roma civil society is a joke; still good.

I also stand by the idea that the EU is the best thing that could happen to Eastern Europe and Roma. We badly need the EU but we need a much more efficient European Commission.

But I was wrong as I wrote in an article (http://valeriucnicolae.wordpress.com/2014/01/09/the-not-so-foreign-policy-romania-and-the-eu/) that “…our success in nominating a French-educated Romanian Commissioner for Agriculture – Dacian Ciolos- did not translate into anything particularly beneficial for Romania… although it has been a great success for France, our main ally in getting that position. The British anger (France was accused of having two commissioners) proved well justified as Mr Ciolos has protected French interests exceptionally well. Romania received significant glory for holding such an important portfolio and little else. “

I did choose and pick what I wanted to hear and did not care to go more in details. Did investigate it more and yes, I was an idiot. Mr. Ciolos, in fact, managed to push in some rather great ideas and a good number of experts on agriculture agree that he was a great Commissioner. Romania as well as a good number of European farmers had lots to gain due to his activity. Most of the experts I asked agree that we could have hardly had a better Romanian Commissioner .

It is not the first time I am an idiot. I did make many mistakes in the past and treated unfairly too many people. I am sure will make some more mistakes ,hopefully not the same ones . I hope I will  manage to keep close some of the amazing people I have the luck to know that are not shying away from telling me when I am wrong. And to continue thinking that I need to acknowledge when I am an idiot and apologize. Therefore – apologies Mr. Ciolos.

PS. I do not think Dacian Ciolos is reading my blog but it is a great chance people in the Roma Unit will send it to his cabinet :).