site.btaBorissov Notifies EC of Mariya Gabriel's Nomination as Bulgaria's Commissioner

Borissov Notifies EC of Mariya Gabriel's Nomination as Bulgaria's Commissioner

Sofia, May 10 (BTA) - Bulgaria has nominated Mariya Gabriel as its member of the European Commission. Prime Minister Boyko Borissov has notified Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker of the decision, the government information service said on Wednesday.

In a letter to Juncker, Borissov recalled that the two had discussed Bulgaria nomination in a telephone conversation last Friday. "I am glad to inform you that today, at its very first meeting, the Bulgarian Government decided to nominate Mariya Gabriel to this post. Given Gabriel's professional qualities and long experience in the European Parliament, I am confident that she will make an important, valuable contribution to the Commission's work," Borissov said.

He expects to discuss this nomination with Juncker as soon as possible and to get his consent as required by the EU Treaty.

Mariya Gabriel, 37, is a member of the GERB party. She has been an MEP of the Group of the European People's Party (EPP) since 2009. As of 2014, she has been EPP Group Vice-President and head of the Bulgarian Delegation in the EPP Group. She graduated in Bulgarian and French languages from Plovdiv University and continued her studies at the Institute of Political Studies in Bordeaux, France. In 2003 she earned a master's degree in Comparative Politics and International Relations from the Post-Graduate School of Political Science of Bordeaux. Between 2004 and 2008, Gabriel was a teaching and research assistant at the Institute of Political Studies in Bordeaux.