Bulgaria’s Ekaterina Zaharieva Nominated as European Commissioner for Startups, Research and Innovation

Ekaterina Zaharieva from Bulgaria has been nominated as the European Commissioner for Startups, Research and Innovation. This announcement was made by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.

The European Commission's new team was unveiled by von der Leyen at the European Parliament in Strasbourg. The presentation of the new commission was confirmed this morning by the institution.

"We must put innovation and research, science and technology at the center of our economy. She will take care of investing more in strategic and innovative technologies," Von der Leyen emphasized when introducing the Bulgarian nomination.

She announced the composition of her future team at the European Parliament in Strasbourg. "They should be at the center of our economy," Ursula von der Leyen said of startups, research and innovation as she announced Ekaterina Zaharieva's portfolio.

The Bulgarian commissioner will have to ensure that investments will be more focused precisely on these strategic priorities. In the previous Commission, Mariya Gabriel was responsible for research and innovation. However, her portfolio included education and youth.

Each of the candidates has yet to be heard by the relevant committee in the European Parliament. Also, the Committee on Legal Affairs, headed by the Bulgarian MEP Ilhan Kyuchuk, must assess whether the candidates are not in conflict of interest. If the future commissioners are not rejected and/or found to be in a conflict of interest, MEPs will have to approve the composition of the next Commission in a plenary session.

The announcement had been delayed, and there was uncertainty about whether it would occur, primarily due to a holdup in the nomination process for the European Commissioner candidate from Slovenia. Following a meeting with the leaders of political groups in the European Parliament, von der Leyen will address the media.

Today I’m presenting my team for the next five years.

A team of competent and motivated women and men ready to work together.

For a stronger Union.
For a more secure Europe.
For a more competitive Europe. https://t.co/Og37dmsXcJ

— Ursula von der Leyen (@vonderleyen) September 17, 2024

Last week, Politico reported that Ekaterina Zaharieva is likely to be appointed as the European Commissioner for Crisis Management and Humanitarian Aid in the next European Commission, based on strong assumptions and Bulgaria's decision not to seek key positions.

Zaharieva's appointment is expected due to Bulgaria's gender-balanced candidate proposal, which aligns with President Ursula von der Leyen’s goals. This role would have been a continuation of Bulgaria’s previous representation in similar areas, as Kristalina Georgieva held a comparable position from 2010 to 2014.

While there was earlier speculation about Zaharieva being assigned to regional development or transport, Bulgaria’s caretaker cabinet had proposed both Zaharieva and Julian Popov as candidates. Zaharieva, with her extensive political experience, including roles as Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Minister of Justice, is anticipated to be favored for the role, while Popov brings a background in journalism and environmental management.