
Nesheva currently occupies the position of secretary general of the Bulgarian Health Ministry. Photo by gerb-sliven.org
The Bulgarian Parliament has supported the nomination of Doctor Neli Nesheva to become the head of the Bulgarian National Health Insurance Fund (NZOK).
Nesheva was voted into her new post by a large majority in Parliament, with 101 MPs supporting her nomination and only 26 MPs voting against it.
Nesheva currently occupies the position of secretary general of the Bulgarian Health Ministry.
As a former head of the Healthcare Directorate of the Sofia municipality under Boyko Borisov's mayorship, Nasheva was one of the shortlisted candidates for the post of Health Minister in the Cabinet of Borisov's GERB ruling party.
Her appointment as head of Bulgaria's NZOK comes as a follow-up to the untimely termination of her predecessor's mandate.
Last week, the Bulgarian parliament removed Zheni Nacheva from the post of head of the National Health Insurance Fund over alleged abuse of power.
Nacheva was accused of unlawfully increasing the budgets of three medical establishments throughout the country.
She is said to have allotted an additional BGN 800 000 to the hospital in the Bulgarian city of Sliven and about BGN 840 000 to two hospitals in Sofia – Tokuda hospital and the Military Medical Academy (VMA).
Apart from Nacheva, two other former high-ranking officials also face charges over corruption in the health sector – ex Deputy Health Minister Emil Rainov and the former head of the Stanishev Cabinet, Veladin Bitolksi are currently being investigated on bribery charges.