Bulgaria aims at regional policy portfolio in new Commission, sources say

Bulgaria is aiming to get the regional policy portfolio in the next European Commission and has a chance to do so, several sources in Sofia, including state-run BNT television, reported.

Political sources in the Bulgarian parliament have confirmed that the regional policy could be attributed to the next Bulgarian commissioner after the country initially asked for energy or transport.

Among the nominees for the Commissioner position presented to the caretaker Prime Minister Dimitar Glavchev, Ekaterina Zaharieva, the pick from former prime minister Boyko Borissov's GERB, is currently the favourite for the post.

Nominated by Boyko Borissov's GERB party, she is currently a party member and served as foreign minister in Borissov's third government (2017-2021).

Over the past 11 years, Zaharieva has held several key political positions, some of which involved regional policy.

Starting at the top as deputy minister for regional development in Borissov's first government, Zaharieva had a brief stint as minister for regional policy, after which she served as justice minister in Borissov's second cabinet between 2015 and 2017 before taking up the post of foreign minister in the third cabinet.

"On Wednesday, caretaker prime minister Dimitar Glavchev held talks with the three nominees for EU commissioner - Ekaterina Zaharieva (GERB), Iskra Mihaylova (MRF) and Velislava Petrova (There is such a people)," the government informed.

Meanwhile, the pro-European centre-right coalition We Continue the Change - Democratic Bulgaria has nominated Yulian Popov for EU commissioner. He was a former Minister of Environment and Water in the cabinet of Nikolai Denkov (2023-2024).

The coalition chose Popov because he is recognised in Europe as an expert on climate and energy, with "articles on climate and energy policy published in the Financial Times, Project Syndicate, Euractiv, NS Energy Monitor, The Independent, Al Jazeera, Huffington Post and others" - a nomination that may have been in vain, with sources suggesting that Bulgaria is now eyeing the regional policy portfolio.

The pro-Russian left-wing BSP has yet to decide whether to nominate former prime minister and former leader of the Party of European Socialists (PES) Sergei Stanishev as their candidate for commissioner.

Bulgaria's candidate for EU commissioner is expected to be officially announced by caretaker Prime Minister Dimitar Glavchev on Friday (30 August).

[Edited by Daniel Eck/Martina Monti]