EU’s Georgieva resigns to join World Bank

EU budget commissioner Kristalina Georgieva of Bulgaria has resigned from her Brussels job to become chief executive officer of the World Bank, her employers said Friday.
“It is with great regret that I have accepted Kristalina Georgieva’s decision to resign from the European Commission,” Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker said.
Juncker said he has asked Guenther Oettinger, the European commissioner for digital economy, to assume the role of budget commissioner to replace Georgieva when she moves into her new job, which she will start at the start of January.
Georgieva, a 63-year-old economist and former World Bank vice president, had been in the running for the new secretary general of the United Nations. But she was beaten in that race by Antonio Guterres, a former Portuguese prime minister.
In Washington, the World Bank welcomed her new appointment.
“Kristalina is a globally recognized leader with a proven track record in improving the lives of those most in need,” said World Bank Group President Jim Yong Kim.
“She will be the strongest possible champion for the work of our dedicated staff in addressing the complex challenges faced by our partner countries. I am proud to welcome Kristalina back to the World Bank family.”
Juncker will launch talks with Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borisov on possible candidates from his country for a new commissioner — under EU rules, each of the bloc’s 28 member states must be represented on the executive.
Borisov told public TV channel BNT on Friday that Bulgaria would propose “an appropriate candidate” who was up to the job of succeeding Georgieva in Brussels.
According to local media, the candidate could be Bulgarian President Rosen Plevneliev, whose term in office ends on January 20.