Bulgarian MEPs: 'Rumors' Unlikely to Hinder Appointment of Commissioner-Designate Jeleva

"Unfair rumors" about Bulgaria's Commissioner-Designate, RUmiana Jeleva, are being spread in the EU institutions, according to EPP head Joseph Daul. Photo by BGNES

Bulgarian Members of the European Parliament contacted by Novinite.com (Sofia News Agency) do not think that ‘rumors’ directed at Commissioner-Designate Rumiana Jeleva could hinder her appointment.

Earlier on Tuesday, the Co-Chair of the Greens/EFA Group Daniel Cohn-Bendit and the Chair of the EPP Group Joseph Daul, speaking at separate news conferences, said ‘rumors’ in the European institutions about the activities of the husband of Bulgarian Commissioner-Designate, Rumiana Jeleva, could create problems with Jeleva’s confirmation during her hearing in the EP in January 2010.

Iliana Ivanova, Bulgarian MEP from the ruling GERB party, which has nominated Jeleva for EU Commissioner, told Novinite.com she was not aware of the specific ‘rumors’ referred to by Daul and Cohn-Bendit about Rumiana Jeleva. In her words, it was not unusual for rumors attacking someone’s personality to emerge before important appointments but she did not expect they would affect seriously Jeleva’s hearing.

Evgeni Kirilov, Bulgarian MEP from the opposition Bulgarian Socialist Party, also told Novinite.com he did not know what specific “rumors” attacking Jeleva the leaders of the EPP and the Greens/EFA referred to. Kirilov did say he expected the hearing to focus mostly on Jeleva’s portfolio and her capabilities to do a good job with it, even though he did not rule out the possibility of “issues” with someone’s personality also affecting the EP confirmation process. Kirilov did say, however, that Jeleva’s portfolio – i.e. Commissioner for International Cooperation, Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Prevention – was “so insignificant” that it generated little interest.

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