site.btaIliana Ivanova Cannot Stay On in New European Commission "for Personal Reasons"

The current Bulgarian EU Commissioner cannot stay on in the new European Commission for personal reasons. Iliana Ivanova, who has been responsible for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth in the first von der Leyen cabinet, wrote in her Facebook profile on Thursday: "I have been immensely honoured and privileged to serve as a commissioner in the last year of the term of the current European Commission!"

Ivanova thanked the Bulgarian authorities and citizens for the trust, the broad support and the opportunity to represent Bulgaria at the highest European level. "During this dynamic period, I have made every effort to discharge the duties assigned to me within a portfolio of key importance for the future, with a considerable budget. I am proud of everything that my colleagues and I have been able to achieve in such a short time," she said.

"I am convinced that Bulgaria will remain well-represented in the coming years in making the most important decisions for the European policies," she said.

Iliana Ivanova was appointed by the Council of the European Union as the new European Commissioner from Bulgaria on September 19, 2023. She replaced Mariya Gabriel for the remainder of the Commission's term. Gabriel resigned from the post to become deputy prime minister and foreign minister of Bulgaria, with the prospect of taking over as prime minister under a rotation arrangement.

Ivanova had been a member of the European Parliament from 2009 to 2012. From 2013 until being proposed by the Bulgarian government for European Commissioner in 2023, she represented Bulgaria at the European Court of Auditors in Luxembourg.