Georgieva has significant international experience and knowledge which would contribute greatly to her work as commissioner, Barroso is quoted by the EU executive's press services as saying after the 90-minute meeting.
Georgieva will inherit the portfolio initially attributed to Rumiana Jeleva (International Cooperation, Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Response). Jeleva withdrew her candidacy on Tuesday (19 January) following a questionable performance at her hearing and various accusations of wrongdoing (EurActiv 19/01/10).
Kristalina Georgieva, a vice-president of the World Bank, commented that she was very happy with her portfolio.
"I was very lucky, because my portfolio relates to a field where I feel the best prepared. In the World Bank we deal a lot with humanitarian assistance, we work closely with organisations which provide such assistance, like the UN, the International Red Cross. I have worked in conflict zones, and, frankly speaking, I feel best prepared for this field of activity, rather than any another Commission portfolio," she stated.
Her meeting with Barroso was also aimed at reaching agreement on the conditions of her joining the Commission, as Georgieva is still employed by the World Bank.
"I am sure that a solution can be found so that both obligations under the World Bank [for phasing-out] and the Commission [for phasing-in] will be respected," Georgieva said.
The European Parliament's development committee is expected to audition Georgieva on 3 February. If confirmed, the entire Commission would be voted upon on 9 February in Strasbourg.
Back to plan A
The Bulgarian daily '24 chasa' wrote yesterday that by appointing Georgieva, Bulgaria's Prime Minister Boyko Borissov had "reverted to plan A". Georgieva should have been Bulgaria's first choice is the irony of its message.
By appointing Nickolay Mladenov, a young politician well-trained in foreign affairs, to replace Jeleva as the country's foreign affairs minister, Borissov also made an obvious decision that should have been made earlier, the daily writes.
