site.btaInterior Minister Buchvarova: Irina Bokova Is not Performing Convincingly in Race for UN Secretary General's Office

Interior Minister Buchvarova: Irina Bokova Is not Performing Convincingly in Race for UN Secretary General's Office

Sofia, September 12 (BTA) - Bulgarian Interior Minister Roumyana Buchvarova commented Monday that the Bulgarian candidate for the position of UN Secretary General, Irina Bokova, has not performed convincingly in the race so far and she is unlikely to win. She would not confirm rumours that the government is considering a second nomination, of European Commission Vice President Kristalina Georgieva.

The possible replacement of Bokova by Georgieva was also commented by the deputy leader of the ruling GERB party, Tsvetan Tsvetanov. He said Monday that there will be new developments on the matter in the coming days but would not say what exactly these will be.

Several news outlets recently reported quoting undisclosed government sources that in the coming days Bulgaria is likely to support a possible nomination of Kristalina Georgieva for UN Secretary General.

In the latest ballot at the UN Security Council last week, Irina Bokova received seven votes of encouragement, five of discouragement and three of no opinion.

According to various media reports, if the government is to nominate Kristalina Georgieva, Bokova will need to withdraw from the race - or else Georgieva's nomination can be put forward by three central European countries supported by Germany, as a candidate of the European People's Party and it then can be supported by the Bulgarian government.