Boiko Borisov: The Name of the next Bulgarian Commissioner is Clear, we are Negotiating for Portfolio

"The name of the next Bulgarian Commissioner is clear and it has been approved by the President of the European Commission", Prime Minister Boiko Borisov said late Thursday evening in Brussels.

"We always announce the names after they are nominated by the party", Borisov explained but avoided giving any details, "Dnevnik" online reported. The main contender for the position is former MEP and current Minister Rumiana Jeleva,.

The negotiations about the portfolio of the Bulgarian Commissioner are forthcoming. It depends on the President of the Commission Jose Manuel Barroso and not on the Bulgarian government, Borisov explained. "Realistically, what we can get, our best option is enlargement, European neighbourhood policy, but bargaining is hard", he explained.

According to the PM, "it not an accident that according to the European Commission rules the winning party in the elections determines the commissioner". According to the Treaty of Nice, the commissioner is nominated by the government of the Member State in dialogue with the President of the Commission and is appointed after the approval of EP.

Despite his hint that the next Bulgarian commissioner will be a member of the governing GERB party (Citizens for European Development of Bulgaria) Borisov pointed out that he has plans for the current Bulgarian commissioner Meglena Kuneva. "I will offer her different options. If she agrees...".