The European People's Party has reiterated its support for Bulgaria's ruling centrist-right GERB after Rumiana Jeleva, the party's nominee for a second term in office as EPP Deputy Chair, was rejected.

According to unconfirmed reports, the nomination of Bulgaria's former Foreign Minister and failed EU Commissioner-Designate Rumiana Jeleva, came on the personal insistence of EPP President Wilfried Martens, who meanwhile got reelected for the post, and the EP EPP group Chairman, Joseph Daul.

However, Jeleva received Thursday only 266 votes, ranking her 12th from a total of 13 candidates for the 10-member EPP leadership.

It was Martens and Daul who declared their support for the Bulgarian ruling party a day after Jeleva's failure to get reelected.

In a statement, Martens and Daul expressed their "full and undivided support to Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borissov, his government, and GERB."

"I am delighted that Bulgaria has a stable and prudent government which is able to take the right decisions in this difficult economic and financial European environment. In the last 3 years, under the leadership of Boyko Borissov, Bulgaria is returning to Europe's centre-stage and has become a trustworthy partner", Wilfried Martens claimed.

Daul stated that "PM Borissov's government did not give in to the calls of populist Socialist forces that want to keep the country stuck in the past. In fact, under the current government, Bulgaria has become a role model for tackling the economic crisis." He further expressed his hope that "Bulgarians will renew their trust in GERB in the upcoming elections."

Rumiana Jeleva was appointed EPP Vice President in December 2009, just one month before the failed EC hearing.

In January 2010, Jeleva's confirmation hearing as Bulgaria's nominee for European Commissioner for International Cooperation, Humanitarian Aid, and Crisis Response fell through as she failed to answer questions regarding allegations of her financial interests and demonstrated insufficient competence in the areas she was to oversee.

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