Bulgarian EU Commissioner-Designate Answers Questions in EP Confirmation Hearing

The confirmation hearing of Bulgarian EU Commissioner-designate Ekaterina Zaharieva at the European Parliament started Tuesday morning with a minute of silence in memory of the victims of the Valencia flash floods. If approved, Zaharieva will get the portfolio of Startups, Research and Innovation.

The hearing is expected to last three hours. 23 Bulgarian journalists and over 40 MEPS from various political groups are attending.

The hearing includes a presentation by the commissioner-designate of some 15 minutes, followed by statements by coordinators of the political groups. Petar Volgin will be speaking on behalf of his Europe of Sovereign Nations group. This will be followed by statements from the members of the Industry, Research and Energy Committee (ITRE), which is responsible for the hearing and is one of the two largest parliamentary committees (with 90 MEPs). Among the speakers will be Bulgarian MEPs Eva Maidel (EPP) and Tsvetelina Penkova (Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats). Hristo Petrov (Renew Europe), who is attending by invitation, is also expected to take the floor.

Zaharieva said in her presentation that she would set up a a European Research and Innovation Forum and would work for a bigger tole for women in this field.

She started off in English, offering words of sympathy for the families and loved ones of the Spain flood victims. She then switched to Bulgaria saying that it was a privilege for her to be in the EP after being in another parliament building - of Bulgaria, until recently. "Thanks to my experience I have deep respect for an institution as the EP," she added.

You can watch the confirmation hearing live here.

/NF/