Iliana Ivanova was appointed European Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth by the Council of the EU this week. She was approved by the European Parliament after successful hearings by two committees and was backed by a huge majority of MEPs. Ivanova was appointed for the remainder of the term of office of the Commission, which runs until October 31, 2024.
In her first interview with BTA, Ivanova highly appreciated her predecessors Meglena Kuneva, Kristalina Georgieva and Mariya Gabriel. She expects to continue on their path for Bulgaria's worthy representation in the European Commission (EC).
Ivanova said she is faced with many challenges, one of them being the need for the EC to listen to people and talk with them in a language they understand. She also said the preparations for her first trip to Bulgaria in her capacity as European Commissioner were making good progress. She stressed the EU should support Ukraine as long as it takes.
Following is the full text of the interview:
Q: Commissioner, you have worked for many years in a particularly sensitive area in the European Court of Auditors where you were auditing huge expenditures. What will you remember about those years, what was the most difficult thing and how will that experience be useful to you now?
A: All of my previous work will be very useful because the opportunity to check and assess the implementation of EU policies as an external auditor gives you a really critical view, particularly about weaknesses, the problems that need to be addressed and the search for solutions. It is invaluable to be knowledgeable about Cohesion Policy, youth policies, digitalisation policies, the circular economy - the areas for which I have been a direct rapporteur - and to apply that knowledge and experience now when these policies need to be made. I hope that I do not lose this critical element in thinking where, with the most positive and constructive feeling, we make sure that policies are as effective and efficient in improving the lives of European citizens as possible.
Q: What you will use from the experience of your predecessors Meglena Kuneva, Kristalina Georgieva and Mariya Gabriel?
A: I think all three of them represented Bulgaria in a very dignified way in the EC. Meglena Kuneva was Bulgaria's first voice at the EC, she laid the groundwork. Kristalina Georgieva raised the bar very high, she was an EC Vice-President, a first-rate politician, an example to all of us. Mariya Gabriel played a decisive role in digitalisation, in the triangle of research, innovation and education, in bringing this huge strategic portfolio together and thus contributing to the competitiveness of the EU's economy.
My aim is, in the remaining year, to follow the positive example set by my predecessors and to try as much as possible to help overcome the enormous challenges facing our continent.
Q: What is the biggest challenge facing you today, now that you are part of President Von der Leyen's team?
A: There are many challenges: the aftermath of the pandemic, the Russian aggression in Ukraine and the converging crises - and the Commission has reacted so quickly and adequately under the President's leadership. If I have to single out one thing, I would say what she mentioned last week in her State of the Union address in Strasbourg - to earn the trust of Europeans to deal with their aspirations and anxieties, to speak with them in a language they can understand and to listen to them.
Q: Your trip to Bulgaria in your new role is eagerly awaited. Who will you meet there and what will you talk about?
A: We are planning meetings with all representatives of the important institutions in Bulgaria. At the moment we are still refining the agenda, it will be full and I look forward to the first meeting with all colleagues so that we can map out the directions for cooperation on all the important issues facing Bulgaria and Europe.
Q: The intentions you announced at your hearing in the European Parliament included initiatives related to Ukraine. Do you intend to travel to Kyiv?
A: We have a long list of initiatives we are implementing to support Ukraine. I think it is important to implement them quickly and think about building on them because now is the time when support is needed most and it must continue for as long as it takes - efforts are needed to help build and rebuild the destroyed infrastructure, energy, roads, housing; we can also help with the Joint Research Centre, with expertise and modern research infrastructure, with scholarships for Ukrainian researchers, and the opportunities offered by the European Institute of Innovation and Technology. But the most immediate initiative is probably the opening of a Horizon Europe office in Kyiv. The office will promote the EU funding opportunities under this programme and will offer support to researchers. My intention is to open this office by the end of the year, as soon as possible.
Q: So far, all Bulgarian commissioners have been women. Is this good or doesn't it matter?
A: We have clear objectives for gender equality and support women's participation in all programmes. For me personally, the most important criterion is a person's competence and qualities. I believe that all of Bulgaria's representatives so far have met this criterion. I will try to continue to represent Bulgaria with dignity for the remainder of the term.
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