Mariya Gabriel is set to assume the role of Deputy Secretary General of NATO, according to sources cited by Club Z. This development has been confirmed by diplomatic circles, which indicate that Gabriel, the former Deputy Prime Minister, is in line to fill the position currently held by Mark Rutte.

As of October 1, NATO will see a complete overhaul in its civilian leadership, with Rutte taking over from Jens Stoltenberg as Secretary General. Rutte’s appointment marks a significant change at the top of the Alliance.

In the meantime, Mircea Geoana, the current Deputy Secretary General and a Romanian national, is stepping down to run for the presidency in Romania. He is expected to announce his candidacy as an independent later this month, with predictions favoring his success in the November election.

Gabriel has been earmarked to take over Joana's position, with sources indicating that her nomination is nearly finalized. Both the United States and the United Kingdom have already pledged their support for her candidacy.

The role of Deputy Secretary General involves assisting with the responsibilities of the Secretary General, who acts as the main spokesperson and representative of NATO. The Deputy also steps in during the Secretary General's absence. The Secretary General oversees the coordination of Alliance activities, chairs the North Atlantic Council, and leads various committees, including the Defense Planning Committee and the Nuclear Planning Group.

Traditionally, the Deputy Secretary General's position is held by a European, while a US representative leads the military aspects of NATO.

Gabriel, who recently participated in the GERB party’s election campaign alongside Boyko Borissov, has been relatively low-profile since the dissolution of the "Denkov-Gabriel" government. Borisov had mentioned that Gabriel was not part of his negotiating team due to her other commitments.