Rumiana Jeleva, a former Bulgarian foreign minister, withdrew her candidacy Tuesday to be the EU's next humanitarian aid chief following parliamentary questions about her finances and competence, according to AP. Bulgaria named Kristalina Georgieva, a World Bank vice president, to replace Jeleva. The withdrawal will delay the installation of a new European Commission, which runs the EU's day-to-day affairs, from Feb. 1 to Feb 9 or 10, officials said. The EU wants a new commission in place quickly to tackle the economic crisis and climate change. A conservative, Jeleva was accused by leftists of not having listed a financial interest in a Bulgarian consultancy firm as required by EU rules. She also got poor marks for her answers to questions about international aid and relations. The EU assembly's lawyers disproved the conflict of interest charges but the accusations of incompetence did not die down. In a letter to Bulgaria's prime minister, Jeleva noted «with bitterness the discussion about untruthful accusations and conflict of interest» dominated her Jan. 12 confirmation hearing. The European Parliament used seven days of hearings for all 27 EU commissioners-designate to show displeasure with several incoming executives nominated by EU governments. European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso said he «fully respects this personal decision» of Jeleva, who became Bulgarian foreign minister last July after the landslide victory of Borisov's center-right party. -- SPA
