site.btaPM Glavchev: Ekaterina Zaharieva, Julian Popov Get the Nod for Bulgaria's European Commissioner

Caretaker Prime Minister Dimitar Glavchev announced the decision to nominate Ekaterina Zaharieva and Julian Popov for the position of European Commissioner here on Friday. Glavchev spoke at a Council of Ministers meeting with regional and deputy regional governors. "All candidates are of an exceptionally high level," Glavchev said.

Ekaterina Zaharieva was nominated by GERB-UDF, while Julian Popov was proposed by Continue the Change-Democratic Bulgaria (CC-DB). Glavchev met with all candidates nominated by parliamentary groups over the past two days.

Glavchev showed appreciation to the parliamentary groups for their careful handling of the nominations and mentioned the great quality of all the candidates. "After meeting all the nominees from the parliamentary groups, I was impressed by their high level. I thank the parliamentary groups for taking this matter seriously. Our decision was difficult, because we considered many important factors. We mainly followed the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, a letter from European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, and the candidates' CVs. We are confident that we made the right choice," Glavchev said.

Who's who

Ekaterina Spasova Gecheva-Zaharieva was born on August 8, 1975, in Pazardzhik, Bulgaria. She completed her secondary education at the Bertolt Brecht Language Secondary School in Pazardzhik, specializing in German language. She later earned a Master's Degree in Law from Paisii Hilendarski University of Plovdiv.

Zaharieva began her legal career in 2001. In 2003, she served as a legal advisor in the Legal, Regulatory, and Administrative Services Directorate of the Ministry of Environment and Water, where she was appointed acting Director of the Directorate on February 28, 2007, and later appointed Director from April 1, 2008, to July 31, 2009.

Zaharieva was part of three Boyko Borissov governments. She was the Deputy Minister of Regional Development and Public Works from August 6, 2009, to January 23, 2012. She served as Minister of Justice from December 8, 2015, to January 27, 2017, and as Deputy Prime Minister for Judicial Reform and Minister of Foreign Affairs from May 4, 2017, to May 12, 2021.

Zaharieva was the Chief Secretary to President Rosen Plevneliev from January 23, 2012, to March 13, 2013, and Chief of Staff to President Rosen Plevneliev from May 29, 2013, to August 6, 2014, and again from November 7, 2014, to December 18, 2015.

She was also part of two caretaker governments. In Marin Raykov's government, she served as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Regional Development and Public Works from March 13 to May 29, 2013. In Georgi Bliznashki's government, she was Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Policy, Minister of Regional Development, and Minister of Investment Planning from August 6 to November 7, 2014.

Zaharieva was a Member of Parliament in the 44th National Assembly from April 19 to May 4, 2017, and from the 45th to the 49th National Assembly (2021–2024). On June 19, 2024, she was elected as an MP in the 50th National Assembly.

On April 18, 2017, she received the Honorary Token from the Union of Jurists in Bulgaria in recognition of her professional accomplishments and active participation in union activities.

Continue the Change-Democratic Bulgaria’s European Commissioner Candidate is Julian Popov.

Julian Popov, was born on September 21, 1959, in Sofia. Holds a degree in Bulgarian Philology from Sofia University St. Kliment Ohridski. As a co-founder of the New Bulgarian University, he played a pivotal role in its development, and was appointed as the University’s Executive Director in 1991. He is currently a member of the University's Board of Trustees. Before his tenure at the university, Popov was the Director of the Angel Karaliychev Literary Museum and an editor for the magazine Fakel.

In 1994, Popov lived in London, United Kingdom, where he has built a distinguished career as a journalist and consultant specializing in institutional development, environmental policies, climate issues, and education. In 1997, he was appointed Honorary Secretary of the British charitable organization Friends of Bulgaria, later serving as its Director until 2019. In 2006, he was the chair the Board of Directors of the Bulgarian School of Politics Dimitry Panitza. Additionally, he has chaired the Board of the Elizabeth Kostova Foundation and has been a member of the Board of Trustees of the American University in Bulgaria.

In 2008, Popov held the position of Chief Consultant for Central and Eastern Europe at the European Climate Foundation. In 2012, he played a pivotal role in founding of the Tunisian School of Politics, inspired by the Bulgarian School of Politics Dimitry Panitza, and was also an active member of its Strategic Council.

Popov has served twice as the Minister of Environment and Water. The first time in the caretaker government of Marin Raykov from March 13 to May 29, 2013, and later in the administration of Nikolay Denkov from June 6, 2023, to April 9, 2024. He is a member of the European Council on Foreign Relations and the EIT Climate KIC Advisory Council. Additionally, he holds the position of Senior Advisor at the European Climate Foundation and serves as the Chair of the Institute for Building Efficiency in Europe. EurActiv has twice recognized Popov as one of the 40 most influential voices in European energy policies.

Popov has authored multiple publications on sustainable development, energy, European Union policies, and human rights featured in leading Bulgarian and international outlets. His written works include the novels "English Bulgaria or Switzerland in the Balkans " (2005) and the novel "Island of Mists" (2006). He is also a co-author of "The European Supergrid" and "Energy and Climate Diplomacy."