The readers of Novinite (Sofia News Agency) have selected Bulgarian EU Commissioner Kristalina Georgieva as "Personality in the News" for 2010.

Georgieva's the first place in the annual poll of the largest Bulgarian English-language media Novinite.com (Sofia News Agency) appears to be a recognition of her successful first year as the EU Commissioner for International Cooperation, Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Response as she has spearheaded EU's relief efforts around the globe and institutional arrangements for greater intra-EU cohesion with respect to her portfolio.

Georgieva grabbed the first place in the annual poll of Novinite.com (Sofia News Agency) by a narrow margin, with the star striker of Manchester United Dimitar Berbatov remaining a very close second.

Interestingly, the readers of Novinite.com (Sofia News Agency) from around the world placed third in the annual poll for "Personality in the News" 2010 the Bulgarian Roma expelled from France over the summer and fall of the last year, apparently in recognition of the importance of the so called "Roma Issue" for Europe.

Bulgarian Finance Minister Simeon Djankov has been ranked fourth, followed by US Ambassador to Bulgaria James Warlick.

The final tally shows that in the five weeks of voting for the Bulgarian "Personality in the News" 2010 of Novinite.com (Sofia News Agency), Kristalina Georgieva received 782 votes, or 22.71%. Dimitar Berbatov got only 14 votes fewer – 768 votes, or 22.31%. The Bulgarian Roma expelled from France are third with 696 votes (20.21%), followed by Finance Minister Simeon Djankov with 599 votes (17.4%) and US Ambassador to Bulgaria James Warlick with 598 votes (17.37%).

Novinite.com (Sofia News Agency) traditionally polls its readers from around the world at the end of each year to give them the chance to determine the most important personalities of the year. In 2009, the readers of Novinite.com placed first UNESCO's Bulgarian Director-General Irina Bokova, followed by Prime Minister Boyko Borisov and Bulgaria's former EU Commissioner Meglena Kuneva.

The 2010 "Personality in the News" poll of Novinite.com (Sofia News Agency) saw a very tough race for the first spot as even though Kristalina Georgieva was in the lead the entire time, Dimitar Berbatov was always only falling behind by a few votes.

Finance Minister Simeon Djankov held the third position for most of the voting period but a couple of weeks before the end of the voting he was overtaken by the Bulgarian Roma expelled from France, whose nomination was previously stuck at the last spot for some three weeks.

With almost 3 000 votes, the 2010 campaign for Bulgaria's "Personalities in the News" of Novinite.com (Sofia News Agency) has set a record.

The Team of Novinite.com (Sofia News Agency) would like to thank all of its readers who voted in our initiative to select the most deserving and important individuals related to Bulgaria in the news throughout 2010! The winners will be awarded at a special ceremony to be announced.

More information about the nominees and their final ranking by the readers of Novinite.com (Sofia News Agency) read below.

"Personality in the News" 2010 of Novinite.com (Sofia News Agency) - Final Ranking

1. KRISTALINA GEORGIEVA

Votes: 782 ; 22.71%

In February 2010, Kristalina Georgieva became Bulgaria's second ever EU Commissioner, and the first EU Commissioner on humanitarian aid. She saved the day for the Borisov government after the EC bid of Bulgaria's original nominee, ex Foreign Minister Rumiana Jeleva, failed over conflict of interest suspicions and a bad performance at the hearing. Georgieva, who had to quit her job as Vice President of the World Bank, has since ventured bravely with a goal-oriented approach in her new field spearheading EU humanitarian efforts in Haiti, Chile, Pakistan, Afghanistan, African countries, among others. She has emerged as perhaps the most popular Bulgarian politician. In December she won the "European of the Year" and "EU Commissioner of the Year" of prestigious newspaper European Voice.

2. DIMITAR BERBATOV

Votes: 768 ; 22.31%

In 2010, Bulgaria's star striker Dimitar Berbatov saw his career in Manchester United take off. By December 2010 he topped the English Premiership scorer chart, after an unforgettable hattrick against Liverpool in September and five goals in a single match against Blackburn in November, among other strong games. United Manager Ferguson expects that Berbatov will be United's top scorer this season. Berbatov caused much controversy in early 2010 by deciding to quit Bulgaria's national football team after the side failed to make it to World Cup 2010. Also, in 2010, Berbatov became a father for the first time, with the birth of his daughter Dea.

3. BULGARIAN ROMA EXPELLED FROM FRANCE

Votes: 696; 20.21%

In the summer and fall of 2010 France stirred an EU-wide controversy by expelling scores of Bulgarian and Romanian Roma living in squatter communities for being a public safety hazard. The international shock at Sarkozy and a crisis in EU-French relations wound down by the end of the year. Most of the expelled Roma were Romanians, and those sent back to Bulgaria were only about 100. This collective nomination seeks to emphasize that France's expulsion campaign underlines the vast proportions and complexity of the Roma issue in Europe, as well as the fact that the expelled Roma, unlike most other EU citizens, might face different treatment and fall pray to political goals. The Roma issue appears to have had wider repercussions reflected by emerging French opposition to Bulgaria and Romania's Schengen accession.

4. SIMEON DJANKOV

Votes: 599 ; 17.4%

Finance Minister Simeon Djankov, a former senior World Bank economist and a leading scholar, has been perhaps the most controversial Bulgarian Cabinet member. Praised by some for Bulgaria's macroeconomic stability, his austerity measures have been adamantly disputed by the business sector and syndicates, and have generated grim street rallies. While Djankov has the toughest job in a crisis-hit country, he has also made headlines with numerous controversial, scandal-stirring statements. In early 2010, as Bulgaria revised its 2009 deficit, he had to give up on his goal for a speedy euro zone entry. The end of the year saw him criticizing the EU for failing to prevent crises in Greece and Ireland, and reaffirming Bulgaria's euro adoption course. His 2011 state budget has been slammed as being overly optimistic; the long-term effect of his work remains to be seen.

5. JAMES WARLICK

Votes: 598 ; 17.37%

Being the American Ambassador would always get you much attention but since his arrival in January 2010, James Warlick has become a "superstar" ambassador, with a very tangible presence in Bulgarian public life, taking active stand on various developments. In addition to contributing to a period of unprecedentedly good ties between Bulgaria and the USA, he has not hesitated to warn the government of the potential loss of American investments. Last but not least, he has made an impressive appearance in hit Bulgarian TV series "Staklen Dom" ("Glass Home") playing the role of the American Ambassador in Sofia, thus becoming the first acting US diplomat to star in a movie, with the special permission of US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

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