Obama Nominates Eric Rubin as New US Ambassador to Bulgaria

US President Barack Obama has put forward the name of Eric Rubin as Washington's next Ambassador to Bulgaria, a White House message shows.

If Rubin is later confirmed, Bulgaria will be his first-ever ambassadorial appointment.

"Eric Seth Rubin, a career member of the Foreign Service, class of Minister-Counselor, most recently served as Deputy Assistant Secretary in the Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs, a position he held from 2011 to August 2015," the White House's website reads.

Currently, since Marcie Ries left Bulgaria in July, the US Embassy is run by Roderick Moore, Chargé d'Affairs ad interim.

Rubin previously served as Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassy in Moscow, Russia from 2008 to 2011, Executive Assistant to the Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs from 2006 to 2008, and Director of the Office of Policy and Coordination from 2004 to 2006.  

Prior to that, he had held offices in Thailand, Ukraine and at various domestically based institutions in the United States.

Obama's proposal also includes names of nominees to take over the embassies in Serbia (Kyle R Scott), Uganda )Deborah R Malac), Swaziland (Lisa J Petersen) and Mozambique (H Dean Pittman) as well as  several domestic institutions.

No date for a hearing has been announced as of Wednesday noon, EEST.