Bulgarian Parliament Accepts Ekaterina Zaharieva's Resignation Following EC Appointment

The Bulgarian parliament has accepted the resignation of Ekaterina Zaharieva, a member of the GERB-SDS party, with a vote of 184 in favor. Zaharieva resigned from her position as a Member of Parliament following her election to the European Commission.

In her new role, Zaharieva will oversee the department for "Startups, Research and Innovation" within the European Commission. Her resignation comes as she transitions to this new European position.

Zaharieva, recently nominated by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen for the role of Commissioner for Startups, Research, and Innovation, is one of five European Commissioner nominees facing significant scrutiny, according to Politico.

Zaharieva, previously a Bulgarian Minister of Justice, is under particular scrutiny due to past concerns about her involvement in a scandal related to passport issuance for bribes.

Other vulnerable nominees include Hungary's Oliver Varhelyi, criticized for his controversial past as Commissioner for Enlargement, Slovenia's Marta Kos, who resigned from ambassadorial posts amid abuse allegations, Belgium's Hadja Lahbib, with concerns over her past trip to Crimea and visa issues, and Malta's Glenn Micallef, whose lack of relevant experience has raised questions.