Bulgarian foreign minister resignation accepted: deputy premier

(SOFIA) - Bulgaria's ruling right-wing GERB party has accepted Foreign Minister Rumiana Jeleva resignation after she withdrew as the country's EU commission nominee, the deputy prime minister said Wednesday.

"The resignation of Rumiana Jeleva as foreign minister was accepted," Tsvetan Tsvetanov told state BNT television.

Tsvetanov, who is also interior minister and GERB's deputy chairman, said that the decision, taken late last night, was in line with Jeleva's wish to quit after her withdrawal Tuesday as EU aid commissioner designate.

Jeleva came under fire from members of the European Parliament during a confirmation hearing last week over her competence for the post of EU humanitarian aid commissioner and also over alleged gaps in her declaration of financial interests.

Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borisov had agreed on Tuesday to pull Jeleva from her EU bid but said he had no reasons to accept her resignation from the cabinet.

But Tsvetanov said that Borisov had finally decided to let Jeleva go and prevent an expected negative reaction if he had kept her.