EP Approved Bulgaria’s Mariya Gabriel as Commissioner for Digital Economy

The European Parliament approved the appointment of Mariya Gabriel as the Commissioner for the Digital Economy and Society. Once appointed by the Council of the EU, she will become the third Bulgarian Commissioner and her term of office will be until mid-2019. Gabriel was nominated in May 2017 by the Bulgarian Government as Commissioner to replace former Member of the Commission Kristalina Georgieva, after her resignation took effect at the end of 2016.

In a secret ballot vote in the European Parliament in Strasbourg on 4 July, Gabriel received 517 votes in favour, 77 MEPs voted against and 89 abstained. It is expected that the letter with the results will be sent to the Council by the end of the week, and that Gabriel will take up the post for the next week's EU commissioners meeting next Wednesday.

The presidents of the European Parliament and of the European People's Party Antonio Tajani and Joseph Dole congratulated Mariya Gabriel.

"Maria received the strong support of the EP," Tajani noted in Twitter.

"I am confident she will show professionalism and dedication to achieving the digital single market in the EU," Dol added.

Prime Minister Boyko Borissov congratulated Mariya Gabriel on Facebook.

European Parliament voted with a huge majority on the nomination of Mariya Gabriel as EU Commissioner. I wish her success in this extremely responsible post. I have always been convinced of her qualities and hard work. I am sure that Maria will once again prove Bulgaria's power in Europe and will show outstanding results for the digital single market, he said.