"Selmayr's appointment is like a palace coup under cover of bureaucratic darkness. I think he is a dangerous man, unaccountable, overpaid and out of control. The lack of transparency and chicanery involved in his double elevation brings shame on the EU," Farage told Sputnik.
Earlier in the day, the members of the European Parliament discussed during its plenary session the promotion of Selmayr, who used to serve as chief of staff to EU Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker. In late February, then-EU Commission's Secretary-General Alexander Italianer resigned, after which reports emerged that Selmayr had previously applied for the post of deputy secretary-general. As a result of Italianer's resignation, Selmayr was then immediately promoted to secretary-general.
On March 1, the European Conservatives and Reformists group in the European Parliament asked the EU Commission to clarify the situation with the speedy recruitment of a new secretary-general, pointing to the fact that former secretary-generals remained in office for some time following the announcement of their resignation. With this regard, the group asked the European Commission whether the procedure of Selmayr's appointment was sufficiently transparent and fair and whether the commission had enough time to give consideration to other candidates.