Rumiana Jeleva

Mariya Gabriel, a MEP and Vice-Chairwoman of the European People's Party, is facing a key hearing for her appointment as an European Commissioner for Digital Economy and Society on Tuesday.

A hearing of Bulgaria's EU Commissioner-designate Maria Gabriel will be held by the European Parliament on June 20 in Brussels, reported BNR.

Maria Gabriel will answer MEPs questions at a joint meeting of the Parliamentary Committees on Industry and Culture.

After the end of the first sitting of the new government of Bulgaria, Foreign Minister Ekaterina Zaharieva announced that the Bulgarian nomination for European commissioner is Maria Gabriel, BNR reported.

To become commissioner, Maria Gabriel, who has been EPP MEP since 2007, will undergo a European Parliament hearing.

Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borisov has refuted reports that UN Middle East Coordinator Nickolay Mladenov is to be the next European Commissioner.

"It is from you that I am hearing this from the first time," Borisov has told reporters when asked about the information, according to BGNES wire service.

"We need a European Commissioner for ecology or regional development. In these two sectors, Bulgaria has the greatest need and we will attempt to win," stated Bulgarian PM Boyko Borisov when answering the question who will replace Kristalina Georgieva.

Bulgaria's European Commissioner Georgieva is to head the World Bank.

The Vice-President of the Bulgarian parliament, Dimitar Glavchev, cancelled the parliamentary session on Friday, after a row erupted between members of the ruling party, Boyko Borissov's GERB, and the main opposition group, the Bulgarian Socialist Party, BSP.

Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borisov has blamed UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova for sabotaging the candidacy of Kristalina Georgieva for the office of UN Secretary General.

Irina Bokova will comment on the decision of the Bulgarian government to nominate the Vice President of the European Commission Kristalina Georgieva as Bulgarian Candidate for UN Secretary General as soon as she gets more details.

Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borisov has nominated EU Commissioner Kristalina Georgieva for the post of the UN secretary-general.

Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borisov announced that he is nominating the European Commissioner for Budget and Human Resources Kristalina Georgieva for Secretary General of the UN.

Borisov stated that, after today's decision, severe compromising campaigns may be expected.