Ex Commissioner Kuneva: Bad That Bulgarian Cabinet Loses 2 Expert Mins

Former European Commissioner and current Bulgarian presidential candidate Meglena Kuneva. Photo by BGNES

It is worrisome that Bulgaria is losing two of its competent ministers who chose to run in the presidential race, stated former EU Commissioner Meglena Kuneva, who is also a contender for the position of head of state.

Kuneva was commenting the Sunday nomination of Minister of Regional Development Rosen Plevneliev for president and Minister of Justice Margarita Popova for VP by ruling center-right GERB party.

"I am worried that ministers in two foremost priority areas for Bulgaria - infrastructure and justice - are being withdrawn from their positions. That makes one wonder about continuity of the cabinet's efforts in those fields," said Kuneva.

The former European Commissioner for Consumer Rights, who runs as an independent candidate, further commented that it is better for the country to have a president who is not related to any party.

"By definition, the head of state is a figure of national unity and I am not certain how candidates who have been so involved in one party will be able to represent the whole nation," said she.

"For instance, think about how a GERB president is going to impose a veto on a law passed by the GERB political group in Parliament," reflected the former EU Commissioner.

Kuneva nevertheless congratulated Plevneliev and Popova for their nomination and wished for a constructive and dialogical election campaign.

Opinion polls made over the summer have it that Kuneva is probable to finish second or third together with Bulgarian Socialis Party candidate, MEP Ivailo Kalfin, giving around 15% of the vote for each.

According to polls, the then yet unnamed GERB candidate had a comfortable lead with over 30% of Bulgarians saying they will vote for him or her.

Meglena Kuneva was Bulgaria's Minister for European Affairs 2002-6, in the cabinets of Simeon Saxe-Coburg and Sergey Stanishev.

At the start of 2007, she became Bulgaria's first EU Commissioner, taking responsibility of consumer protection in the first Barroso college.

Starting 2001, Kuneva was the main negotiator for Bulgaria's EU accession and has played a pivotal role in the process.

She entered Bulgarian politics that same year, when Simeon Saxe-Coburg's newly founded liberal National Movement for Stability and Prosperity swept to power at general elections.

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