Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
10SOFIA26
2010-01-14 15:08:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Sofia
Cable title:  

BULGARIA: PM DEFENDS EC COMMISSIONER NOMINEE

Tags:  PROG PREL BU 
pdf how-to read a cable
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DE RUEHSF #0026 0141508
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O 141508Z JAN 10
FM AMEMBASSY SOFIA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 6592
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RHEHAAA/NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L SOFIA 000026 

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/13/2020
TAGS: PROG PREL BU
SUBJECT: BULGARIA: PM DEFENDS EC COMMISSIONER NOMINEE

Classified By: CDA Susan Sutton for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).

C O N F I D E N T I A L SOFIA 000026

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/13/2020
TAGS: PROG PREL BU
SUBJECT: BULGARIA: PM DEFENDS EC COMMISSIONER NOMINEE

Classified By: CDA Susan Sutton for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).


1. (C) Summary: Prime Minister Borissov came to the
defense of Rumiana Jeleva, Bulgaria's Commissioner-designate
for the International Cooperation, Humanitarian Aid and
Crisis Response portfolio, a day after Jeleva's underwhelming
performance in her January 12 European Parliamentary hearing.
Borissov accused political rivals in the Bulgarian Socialist
Party and former-king's party NMS of conspiring to bring
Jeleva down to embarrass Borissov's GERB government. While
his foreign policy advisers are urging him to drop Jeleva's
candidacy to spare the country any further embarrassment,
Borissov is unlikely to cut the loyal Jeleva loose unless
specifically asked to do so by European Commission President
Barroso or the European People's Party head. This is a no
win situation for Borissov. If he replaces Jeleva, his
political rivals will secure a victory and he'll be forced to
dig into his already-shallow bench to find someone else to
send to Brussels. If Jeleva -- who came across as rattled
and overwhelmed in her hearing -- becomes Commissioner,
Bulgaria will once again live up to its reputation as the
European Union's weakest member. End Summary.


2. (C) Borissov's defense of Jeleva breathed new life into
her candidacy. The day after Jeleva's January 12 hearing,
the Prime Minister's advisers were urging him to withdraw her
nomination to spare the country any further embarrassment.
They agreed that Jeleva's hearing was unfair -- that
political rivals in the Bulgarian Socialist and NMS Parties
sabotaged the hearing by spreading rumors about the ties of
Jeleva's husband to Bulgaria's underworld. Jeleva was
reportedly prepared to answer such questions, but became
completely unglued when the hearing focused on conflict of
interest accusations surrounding a small consulting company
she once owned (and later sold for less than USD 4000 in
2009, her advisers tell us). Jeleva's supporters and
detractors alike say the hearing lacked order and they are
embarrassed by the spectacle of Bulgarians bashing
compatriots on the international stage. But outside Jeleva's
inner circle, the most common reaction to the hearing was
embarrassment. Jeleva came across as unprepared and easily
rattled. Her performance showed lack of preparation and
substance. Her wounds, they say, are self-inflicted.


3. (C) Borissov is known to value loyalty over competence,
but he is also a shrewd political actor. For now it seems he
has decided to support Jeleva rather than let his domestic
political rivals chalk a victory. Our contacts say he'll
abandon Jeleva only on the personal appeal of Barroso or EPP
head Daul. Daul re-affirmed his support for Jeleva January
13, but there was wide speculation in Sofia January 14 that a
Barroso call to Borissov was imminment. If Borissov must
sacrifice Jeleva, he'll have to dig into his already-weak
bench to find an adequate candidate to replace her. The
leading candidate is current Defense Minister Nikolay
Mladenov, whose departure would be a heavy blow to continued
reform efforts in the defense sector. Other possible
GERB-connected nominees include current MEP Andrey Kovatchev
and EU Funds Manager Juliana Nikolova, but neither seem to
have the needed stature or cache. He'd be loath to do it,
but Borissov might be forced to look outside his young GERB
party for a nominee. Possibilities include MEP and former
Foreign Minister Nadezhda Mihailova (from the Union of
Democratic Forces) and former Commissioner Meglena Kuneva
(NMS),although Kuneva's suspected role in the smear campaign
against Jeleva appears to have dimmed her prospects.


4. (C) Comment: Whether Jeleva stays or goes, Borissov
loses. If Jeleva's nomination collapses, Borissov's rivals
will score their first victory against the new GERB
government. Just as devastating, Borissov may be forced to
tap one of his top performers to send to Brussels, leaving
his government weaker in the process. If Jeleva is
ultimately confirmed, she'll enter the Commission with the
burden of having to prove she deserves to be there. This
episode burnishes Bulgaria's reputation as the member state
least prepared for membership -- a reputation Borissov
promised to improve upon taking office.
SUTTON