Bulgarian foreign minister pulls out of race for EU job

(SOFIA) - Bulgarian Foreign Minister Rumiana Jeleva on Tuesday pulled out of the race for a top EU job after her candidacy sparked controversy, but the prime minister refused her offer to resign from cabinet.

Jeleva offered to resign from "all posts that I currently hold" in a letter to Prime Minister Boyko Borisov, a copy of which was obtained by AFP.

She asked the premier to "undertake what is necessary to withdraw my candidature" for the post of EU aid commissioner.

Jeleva, who is also one of 10 vice presidents of the European People's Party, asked Borisov to "nominate to (European Commission President Jose Manuel) Barroso another candidate for commissioner from Bulgaria".

Borisov, who until now had backed Jeleva for the EU job, agreed to let her drop out of the race so as to avoid an "institutional crisis within the EU... and facilitate the unimpeded formation of a strong, unified and working European Commission."

He refused, however, to let Jeleva go as foreign minister.

"I do not accept her resignation as foreign minister because I don't have any reasons to do that," Borisov said.

Jeleva faced a fierce grilling at the European Parliament's development committee last week over irregularities in her financial declarations and doubts about her competence for the job of EU humanitarian aid commissioner.

The controversy surrounding her nomination had threatened to jeopardise the future of the whole Barroso team.

In Brussels, EU Commission chief Barroso announced that Bulgaria had proposed World Bank vice-president Kristalina Georgieva as a replacement candidate.

But speaking to journalists in Sofia, Borisov refused to immediately confirm the nomination, saying that it would be officially presented to the European Parliament in the coming days.

Summary of hearing of Rumiana Jeleva - International Cooperation, Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Response - European Parliament