Bulgaria to Lead Regional Policy in Upcoming European Commission Position

Bulgaria is set to receive the portfolio for regional policy in the upcoming European Commission, according to BNT. This position will see the Bulgarian European Commissioner overseeing cohesion policy and regional support.

Ursula von der Leyen is anticipated to reveal the members of the new European Commission during a press conference in Brussels on September 11 or 12. Following this announcement, the nominees will undergo questioning by the relevant committees of the European Parliament.

The new European Commission cannot officially take office until it has been approved by Members of the European Parliament (MEPs). While Brussels is aiming for the Commission to begin its duties on November 1, a delay could occur if some candidates do not perform well during their parliamentary hearings.

In the forthcoming Commission, von der Leyen plans to include only executive vice-presidents, eliminating the vice-president role from the previous setup. Additionally, there will be several new portfolios, including European Commissioner for Defence, Mediterranean Affairs, Enlargement, Oceans and Fisheries, and Housing Policy.

Meanwhile, Acting Prime Minister Dimitar Glavchev is calling for nominations for Bulgaria's European Commissioner candidates by August 29, urging parliamentary leaders to submit their suggestions. In a letter to the 50th National Assembly's party leaders, Glavchev highlighted the importance of selecting candidates through consultations, noting that the proposal must be approved by the Council of Ministers regardless of the government's status.

Bulgaria needs to nominate two candidates, ideally one man and one woman, by August 30, unless the current Commissioner is re-nominated. GERB has proposed former Foreign Minister Ekaterina Zaharieva, while "There Is Such a People" (TISP) supports Velislava Petrova, a former deputy minister. The BSP is considering former PM Sergei Stanishev but has not finalized its choice.

"We Continue the Change-Democratic Bulgaria" (WCC-DB) has requested that each nomination be discussed and voted on in the National Assembly for legitimacy, though it has not yet put forward a candidate. The process has drawn criticism from WCC-DB’s Atanas Atanasov, who views Glavchev’s push for rapid nominations as undue pressure on the parties.

The final decision on Bulgaria’s European Commissioner position remains pending.

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