European Commissioner

Kristalina Georgieva, the nominee to become EU Commission Vice President for Budget and Human Resources, will be questioned at the European Parliament on October 2, the EP press office has announced.

Georgieva will be facing questions from three EP committees, namely those responsible for budgets, budgetary controls and legal affairs.

Bulgaria will be the biggest net recipient of EU funding in the next seven years, incoming EU Commission Vice President for Budget and Human Resources Kristalina Georgieva said.

Quality and not speed will be decisive for EU enlargement, according to Johannes Hahn, the new EU Commissioner for European Neighborhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations.

Hahn, as cited by the Austria Press Agency and Tanjug, explained that no new members were expected to join the EU in the foreseeable future.

The European Commission said on Thursday it is mobilising EUR 22 M to help the population of Ukrainian regions suffering from the consequences of the conflict.

The funding comprises additional EUR 5 M in humanitarian assistance plus EUR 17 M in development aid, the EU executive body said in a statement.

European Comission President Jean-Claude Junker on Wednesday announced that Socialist MEP Romania's Corina Cretu would be European Commissioner for Regional Politics in the new Commission.

Cretu will manage a total budget of about 350 billion euro for the period 2014-2020, which makes this portfolio one of the most important in the structure of the Commission.

The Social Democratic Party (PSD) hails the nomination of Romanian MEP Corina Cretu as European Commissioner for Regional Policies, pointing out that this area is "a chance" for increasing Romania's prestige in Europe.

Bulgaria's Kristalina Georgieva was appointed EC Vice President for Budget and Human Resources, reported the Bulgarian National Television public broadcaster. 

The final list with the names of the new European Commissioners was published on the site of the Commission shortly before the start of the news conference at which Jean-Claude Juncker presented his team.

Prime Minister Victor Ponta on Tuesday stated that he will ask Parliament to hold a hearing for the new European Commissioner as soon as he/she is nominated by the President of the European Commission.

Bulgaria's Kristalina Georgieva is likely to get the budget portfolio at the EU Commission later this week, EU sources say.

She might also become one of the Commission's Vice Presidents.

Turkey should prioritize expanding freedom of speech to achieve improvement in its bid to join the European Union, according to Neelie Kroes, the vice president of the EU Commission.