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Bulgaria's EU commissioner-designate withdraws

19/01/2010

BRUSSELS, Belgium -- EU Commissioner-designate Rumiana Jeleva has withdrawn her candidacy, according to a letter sent to Prime Minister Boyko Borisov and quoted by news agencies Tuesday (January 19th). In her letter, Jeleva -- tapped to become the next commissioner for International Co-operation, Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Response -- asked Borisov to "accept my resignation from all positions I occupy so that you could take the necessary steps to withdraw my candidacy for Bulgarian EU Commissioner". Borisov accepted the resignation, but asked Jeleva to remain in her post as foreign minister. The prime minister also accepted Kristalina Georgieva, currently vice-president of the World Bank, as the new candidate.

Jeleva's performance during her confirmation hearing last week came under heavy criticism and raised doubts about her business background. Some suggested that she failed to declare a possible conflict of interest related to a company she once owned. On Monday, European Parliament member Jozsef Szajer cleared Jeleva's name, announcing that EU lawyers found no discrepancies with documents she filed. (Reuters, BBC, Dnes.bg, New Europe - 19/01/10; Reuters, BNR - 18/01/10)

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