Podcast in English
Text size
Bulgarian National Radio © 2024 All Rights Reserved

Reactions to Bulgaria's portfolio in the European Commission - from satisfaction to disappointment

Photo: AP/ BTA

Bulgarian Commissioner Ekaterina Zaharieva will be given the portfolio "Start-ups, Research and Innovation" in the next European Commission. This was announced today in the European Parliament by Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. Later, in a brief statement to the media, Ekaterina Zaharieva described her portfolio as "the portfolio of the future" and then refused to answer journalists' questions, BNR's Brussels correspondent Angelina Piskova reported from Brussels.

Ekaterina Zaharieva

According to European People's Party (EPP) MEP Andrey Kovachev, the portfolio is "very good and important for the European economy and competitiveness with other parts of the world".


"We were very late in the process and it is normal to get such a portfolio. We consume European politics, we have been part of it for a long time and in this case we get what is left at the end," Ilhan Kyuchyuk, MEP from Renew Europe, told BNR.  
Reactions in Bulgaria were also mixed.


According to GERB leader Boyko Borissov (Zaharieva is a GERB candidate), this portfolio has some of the strongest and best-funded programmes. He recalled that during the election campaign, there was a lot of talk about "Europe's competitiveness against America, China". "It is our Commissioner who is given this portfolio. Many, many thanks," Borissov said.

Tsoncho Ganev, deputy leader of Vazrazhdane, said: "This portfolio reflects the EU's attitude towards Bulgaria.


"We in the Bulgarian Socialist Party think that Bulgaria has not been given a strong portfolio in the new European Commission," said Borislav Gutsanov, leader of the BSP parliamentary group. "We see that Ursula von der Leyen has given quite good chances to Romania, where they will have a second person in the Commission as vice-president," he noted.



Последвайте ни и в Google News Showcase, за да научите най-важното от деня!
Listen to the daily news from Bulgaria presented in "Bulgaria Today" podcast, available in Spotify.

More from category

Weather forecast: Autumn sun but chilly

On Saturday morning there will be frost in the lowlands, and fog in the river basins. During the day the weather will be predominantly sunny with a moderate wind from the East. Minimum temperatures 2° C., below zero to 6° C., for Sofia 2° C., below..

published on 10/18/24 6:30 PM
Ambassador Nathaniel Copsey

UK ambassador to Bulgaria welcomed in Smolyan with bread, honey and bagpipes

The UK Ambassador to Bulgaria, Nathaniel Copsey, has met with students from the Language High School in Smolyan to present the "Ambassador for a Day" initiative. It will be held for the eighth consecutive year by the British Embassy...

published on 10/18/24 4:25 PM

Radoslava Nedyalkova from Milan is "Bulgarian Woman of the Year-2023"

Radoslava Nedyalkova from Milan was chosen as "Bulgarian Woman of the Year-2023" among the 24 nominated compatriots from 19 countries. The distinction in the name of St. Zlata Maglenska was awarded today at a solemn ceremony at UNWE..

published on 10/18/24 4:07 PM