site.btaUPDATED European Parliament Approves Iliana Ivanova as Bulgarian Representative to European Court of Auditors

The nomination of Bulgaria's current European Commissioner, Iliana Ivanova, as the country's representative to the European Court of Auditors (ECA) was approved by the European Parliament by a large majority here on Tuesday. Her nomination received 581 votes in favour,  34 against,  and 31 abstentions. 

Under the Treaty on the European Union, each Member State proposes a candidate to the ECA. The Council of the European Union, after consulting the European Parliament, adopts the list of representatives, who serve a six-year term.

Ivanova was a MEP of GERB/EPP from 2009 to 2012. She represented Bulgaria to the ECA from 2013 to 2023 and was then confirmed as European Commissioner until the end of Mariya Gabriel's term. 

Iliana Ivanova was born in Stara Zagora (South Central Bulgaria) in 1975. In 1998, she obtained a Bachelor's degree in International Economic Relations at the University of Economics in Varna. A year later, she obtained a Master's degree in International Economic Relations at the same university. In 2004, she obtained a Master's degree in International Management at Thunderbird School of Global Management in Arizona, USA. 

Her professional career started in 1999 as a coordinator for international financial institutions at the Ministry of Agriculture and Food. She held this position until 2002. 

From 2004 to 2006, she was an analyst at banks and financial institutions in Dallas and Arizona, USA. 

From 2007 to 2009, she was a municipal councillor in the Sofia Municipal Council, elected on GERB's ticket. 

From 2009 to 2012, she was a Member of the European Parliament, elected Vice-Chair of the Committee on Budgetary Control.

Ivanova took office as a Member of the European Court of Auditors on January 1, 2013. On September 21, 2016, she became head of Audit Chamber II, specialised in the policy area of Investment for Cohesion, Growth and Inclusion. 

From 2022 to 2023, she headed the ECA Quality Control Committee. She was responsible for audits in the areas of evaluation of education funded by European policies, youth employment, the Industry 4.0 initiative and digital innovation in Europe. She chaired the Quality Control Committee responsible for overseeing all audits related to the Recovery and Resilience Plans.

Since 2023, she has been European Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth. Her term in office will end with the election of the new European Commission. 

Ivanova is fluent in English, French, German, and Russian.

The biographical reference is based on information from the website of the European Court of Auditors and GERB's press centre.