The President of the European Investment Bank (EIB) and former Spanish Vice-President, Nadia Calviño, expressed her confidence on Monday at the Forum Europa in Brussels that whoever presides over the European Commission after the European Parliament elections in June will make an "affordable" energy transition a priority.
Calviño made these statements at an event organised by the New Economy Forum in the European capital when she was asked about statements made by the Spanish Vice-President and candidate for European Commissioner, Teresa Ribera, accusing the current President of the Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, of relaxing the green agenda.
Calviño declined to comment on "campaigning" statements and said there was no need to insist that the energy transition "is one of Europe's strengths". "I am sure" that whoever presides over the Commission will prioritise an "affordable" transition and "continue to ensure that Europe is an example" that it is possible to grow and at the same time be sustainable.
On the European elections, Calviño said that "many citizens are not aware" of the difference Europe makes in their lives and admitted that she feels "frustration" at not seeing the European flag on projects funded by the EU. She encouraged "making visible how important the European budget is" for citizens.
In the case of the EIB, she explained that it works with all the key financial institutions and that it not only finances massive projects that would not be possible without EU funding, but also "many small projects" that "make citizens lives better".
