Bulgaria's FM Calls on Bokova to Leave UN Race

Bulgarian Foreign Minister Daniel Mitov has suggested Irina Bokova should rethink her participation in the race for UN Secretary General after the government's decision to change the official candidate of the country.

"You know there is no procedure for the withdrawal of nominations," Mitov has said after a cabinet meeting.

"However, after a government of a sovereign country has diverted its political support in a certain direction, it [the nomination of Georgieva] is the relevant nomination that will be taken into account from now on and will be supported by the Bulgarian government," BGNES quotes Mitov as saying.

He has made clear it will be left to Bokova to decide.

The decision to replace Georgieva was a tough one, but was the result of a serious analysis and indications from foreign diplomats to the UN, Mitov has added, denying any pressure from abroad.

Bulgaria's top diplomat has denied claims that he or other officials lobbied for a candidate other than Bokova as the latter was still the official nominee for UN Secretary General.

Prime Minister Boyko Borisov earlier justified the decision to replace Bulgaria's candidate with the lackluster performance of Bokova in the informal votes held at the UN Security Council over the past months. In the last one on Monday, she had the sixth-best result, while he had insisted she should be one of the two who have seen the strongest support among UNSC members.