In Bulgaria there are people prepared for European Commissioner, but strange names are coming out of the political forces. It is very strange why GERB ignores its current commissioner Iliana Ivanova. She performs well. GERB has a chance to push through its candidacy, why are they creating unnecessary problems.
This was stated before the BNR by the journalist Georgi Gotev from Euractiv Bulgaria.
In his words, there are names that could pass the hearings in the EP with applause, "but nobody talks about them".
He expressed fears that the case with the failed candidacy of Rumiana Zheleva would not be repeated.
"Ekaterina Zaharieva looks like this failed Bulgarian candidacy to me. It's a bit more polished, admittedly, but I'm not sure it will hold up in the European Parliament. Besides, she has some skeletons in the closet – was very close to VMRO with a period in which this party sold passports under the table in Macedonia. (…) We don't need a second Rumyana Zheleva. That would be very unfortunate."
If we want to have a certain department, we must send a candidate with the relevant qualifications, emphasized Georgi Gotev. "Ekaterina Zaharieva cannot, say, claim to be an energy worker."
Gotev expressed surprise that a prepared candidate like Ivaylo Kalfin did not come up as an option at all, because his preparation would allow us to claim a very serious portfolio.
It is not excluded that Ursula von der Leyen will reset the current procedure for nominating EU commissioners, explained Gotev. According to him, many countries nominated their candidacies before the letter of the President of the EC with her requirements for parity between men and women. Many male applications have appeared – so far, out of 27 countries, 22 have proposed commissioners, and 16 of them are men, which for Von der Leyen is "something like a failure", the journalist pointed out.