Further to the decision of the Bulgarian government to withdraw Rumiana Jeleva as commissioner-designate, a new hearing will take place on 3 February with the new Bulgarian commissioner-designate, Mrs Kristalina Georgieva.

Finally, the new Bulgarian commissioner-designate, Mrs Kristalina Georgieva, will appear before the Parliament committee tomorrow. This will be the last hearing before the formal voting of the Parliament to approve the new Commission.

Bulgaria put forward Kristalina Georgieva as its nominee for the next commission after the withdrawal of Rumiana Jeleva from the list of candidates. Georgieva is the candidate for the same post as Jeleva – humanitarian affairs commissioner. Georgieva is currently employed as vice-president of the World Bank.

Jeleva’s withdrawal was announced on 19 January, which was to have been the last day of confirmation hearings for the candidates. She had appeared before Parliament’s development committee a week earlier, as all of the commissioner-designates, who have appeared in public hearings in the last weeks.

The nominees must be approved by parliament. Under EU rules, MEPs vote on the entire line-up, not individuals. The vote had originally been scheduled for 26 January. Now it is set for 9 February.