Juliana Nikolova, head of Bulgaria's European Institute and former runner for vice president, has been picked to be in charge of overseeing EU funds, according to a local media report.

The selection has been widely perceived as the best choice Prime Minister Boyko Borisov could make as Nikolova's whole professional career is linked to European Union integration issues, Trud daily, which broke the news, commented.

The appointment comes after the new prime minister vowed to cut down Bulgaria's bloated administration, save on government expenses and cull ministries, including the post of Socialist Meglena Plugchieva, who was a deputy prime minister in charge of overseeing EU funds.

"Nikolova has been impressed by Borisov's determination and political will to combat corruption and not spare even the people around him in case of failure," Trud daily reported.

Nikolova will face an uphill struggle in trying to restore Brussels's trust after it froze millions of euros in aid on suspicions of corruption and fraud.

Juliana Nikolova served as deputy economy minister in the departments of minister Alexander Bozhkov and Petar Zhotev. At the end of 1999, at the time when Bulgaria was invited for EU membership, right-wing Prime Minister Ivan Kostov appointed her head of the Directorate for European integration and connection with international financial institutions.

She was running mate of president candidate Nedelcho Beronov in presidential elections in October 2006. The pair, nominated by Ivan Kostov, leader of the die-hard rightists Democrats for Strong Bulgaria, was heavily dependent on the support of the then Sofia mayor Boyko Borisov and finally did not manage to make it to the run-off.

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