site.btaThree Parties Put Forward EU Commissioner Nominations, Caretaker PM Expects Proposals from All Parties

Bulgarian Caretaker Prime Minister Dimitar Glavchev wrote to all parliamentary groups in the 50th National Assembly urging them to nominate a new Bulgarian EU commissioner by August 29. Three of the five groups in Parliament have already put forward their nominations. GERB-UDF propose for the job of Bulgarian EU Commissioner former Foreign Minister Ekaterina Zaharieva. The Movement for Rights and Freedoms (MRF) nominated former MEP Iskra Mihaylova and There Is Such a People put forward former Deputy Foreign Minister Velislava Petrova.

EU Member States have until August 31 to submit a male and a female nominee for commissioner, except in the cases where the incumbent will keep his or her job.

In his letter to the parliamentary groups, Glavchev reasons that "Bulgaria is in an unprecedented situation in which the executive power is exercised by a caretaker cabinet appointed by a presidential decree whose objectives and tasks are short-term and oriented day-to-day to ensuring a power transition and conduct of elections”. “According to the established procedure, the nomination for a EU commissioner should be approved by an act of the Council of Ministers, regardless of whether it is a regular or a caretaker government," the letter reads.

President Rumen Radev has said that the caretaker Prime Minister should better consult the parties about the selection of a new Bulgarian EU commissioner.

Vice President Iliana Iotova commented for the press Tuesday that “several people in this country are exceedingly well qualified for the office of EU commissioner, and they would very professionally and befittingly stand up for themselves, for the country's interest and for the interest of all Europe". She expressed hope that the parties will nominate precisely these people and that the best one will be elected.

GERB-UDF’s nomination of Ekaterina Zaharieva was announced by GERB leader Boyko Borissov in the corridors of Parliament on Tuesday. "A lot of people are talking about issues they are not familiar with. According to Borissov, Bulgaria is not late with its nomination. In his words, in recent years, nobody takes Bulgaria into account.

Unveiling the nomination of former Deputy Foreign Minister Velislava Petrova, TISP's Stanislav Balabanov told a briefing at the National Assembly that the candidate should have a strong expert profile. According to the party, Bulgaria is likely to keep its present portfolio in the European Commission, which is Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth.

Since 2023, the portfolio has been held by Iliana Ivanova.

The third nominee, MP Iskra Mihaylova-Koparova, who is a former member of the European Parliament, was named in a press release by the Delyan Peevski’s wing in the party. She was described as having clear Euro-Atlantic orientation, and many years of experience both in the European Parliament and in the executive and legislative powers in Bulgaria.

Continue the Change – Democratic Bulgaria argued that the caretaker cabinet lacks a mandate to nominate a EU commissioner for the next five years and the National Assembly must approve a nomination for a EU commissioner. At a news conference, co-leader Kiril Petkov recalled that CC-DB have entered a motion to amend the parliamentary rules of procedure so that the nominations for EU commissioner be approved by the National Assembly.

The Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) said it will announce its nomination for European commissioner after a meeting of its Executive Bureau. BSP for Bulgaria floor leader Borislav Gutsanov told journalists in the National Assembly on Tuesday that the way of choosing the next Bulgarian member of the European Commission will say a lot about the new caretaker government. Gutsanov noted that the Bulgarian authorities often fail to pick the best option in such cases.