Lidiya Rumenova, a former member of the National Audit Office, was elected Chair of Bulgaria's auditing body.

Her nomination was supported by 95 out of 240 MPs, with lawmakers from Ataka and opposition Citizens for European Development of Bulgaria (GERB) choosing not to vote, according to Dnevnik.bg.

Rumenova was among the authors of the recent Audit Office Act which was proposed by the ruling Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) and which led to the replacement of the institution's long-time chair Valeri Dimitrov.

Prior to being a member of the National Audit Office (2009-2011), she was an advisor to Sergey Stanishev, the leader of the BSP and also of the Party of European Socialists (PES). She took the office while he was Bulgaria's Prime Minister from 2005 to 2009. Rumenova is among the owners of a consultant company which has won a number of EU projects.

She was also the outright designate to the job, being the only candidate, after GERB decided not to raise a nominee of their own choice.

Representatives of the opposition party said no public hearing had been held regarding before the voting procedures and described the election process as "unclear".

It was the BSP and the Movement for Rights and Freedoms (DPS) that suggested her bid. Upon her election Rumenova pointed strengthening of the "collective principle" and the development of a handbook on auditing activity as main priorities of her term.

Within 14 days from the election, the Chair of the National Audit Office is to submit to Parliament nominees for 8 more members of the managing body of the National Audit Office.

The need to elect a new Chair of the National Audit Office arose after the conclusive adoption of a set of changes to the National Audit Office Act.

Under the amendments, the managing body of the National Audit Office consists of 9 people, a Chair and 8 members, who are elected and dismissed by Parliament for a term in office of 7 years.

The Chair will not be eligible for re-election, while Valeri Dimitrov had two terms in office.

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