EU's Georgieva 'Plans to Run' for UN Top Job - EurActiv

Politics | November 3, 2015, Tuesday // 12:14
Bulgaria: EU's Georgieva 'Plans to Run' for UN Top Job - EurActiv EU Commission Vice President for Budget and Human Resources Kristalina Georgieva. Photo by BGNES

EU Commission Vice President Kristalina Georgieva is planning to run for United Nations Secretary General next year, EurActiv has argued in an exclusive report.

Georgieva has only said so far that for the moment she is focused on her current job, according to the Brussels-based outlet. She was appointed EU Commission Vice President for Budget and Human Resources in September of last year, as part of Juncker's commission college.

Margaritis Schinas, spokesperson for Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, is also quoted as saying Juncker and Georgieva discussed "the possibility that this issue may arise", adding she "is focused on her current job".

Reports are reemerging - after having been fuelled by a number of media outlets - as the government said in January it would endorse the candidacy of Irina Bokova to take over from Ban Ki-moon in 2017.

Bulgarian President Rosen Plevneliev, however, has so far only pointed to Bulgaria's place as "a strong contender" in the race for the post of UN Secretary General, always falling short of mentioning Bokova's name and fuelling speculation he might be considering the name of Georgieva instead.

"It appears that Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borisov, aware of Georgieva’s goal, doesn’t want to pick a candidate himself, and expects the big powers to decide for him," EurActiv notes, adding that the 2016 election of a new UN chief is supposed to result in a candidate from Eastern Europe taking over, if the principle of regional rotation is observed.

"Asked on national television on 29 October if he would give his full support to Bokova to win the UN job, Borissov remained vague, instead of mentioning her name, replying 'she or another'." (Note: Actually, when Borisov was asked whether he considers it possible for a Bulgarian to win, he said it didn't depend on him.)

The website also cites its conversation with diplomats who say she is "already in campaign mode" with "about half of her meetings" being with UN officials.

But Bulgarian National Radio quotes EU Commission officials as telling it they have no such information.
 

We need your support so Novinite.com can keep delivering news and information about Bulgaria! Thank you!

Politics » Be a reporter: Write and send your article
Tags: Kristalina Georgieva, Georgieva, UN, UN Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon, Irina Bokova, Margaritis Schinas, Rosen Plevneliev

Advertisement
Advertisement
Bulgaria news Novinite.com (Sofia News Agency - www.sofianewsagency.com) is unique with being a real time news provider in English that informs its readers about the latest Bulgarian news. The editorial staff also publishes a daily online newspaper "Sofia Morning News." Novinite.com (Sofia News Agency - www.sofianewsagency.com) and Sofia Morning News publish the latest economic, political and cultural news that take place in Bulgaria. Foreign media analysis on Bulgaria and World News in Brief are also part of the web site and the online newspaper. News Bulgaria