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| Bulgaria pulls support for UN secretary general candidate Irina Bokova | Bulgaria pulls support for UN secretary general candidate Irina Bokova |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The Bulgarian government has said it is nominating Kristalina Georgieva, the European commissioner for budget and human resources, for the post of UN secretary general and that it is withdrawing support for the candidate Irina Bokova. | The Bulgarian government has said it is nominating Kristalina Georgieva, the European commissioner for budget and human resources, for the post of UN secretary general and that it is withdrawing support for the candidate Irina Bokova. |
| Bokova, the director general of the UN cultural organisation, Unesco, came sixth among nine contenders in a secret ballot at the UN security council on Monday. The ballot showed the former Portuguese prime minister António Guterres was still leading the race to replace Ban Ki-moon. | |
| Sofia had said it would reconsider its support for Bokova if she did not come first or second in the last ballot. | Sofia had said it would reconsider its support for Bokova if she did not come first or second in the last ballot. |
| The Bulgarian prime minister, Boyko Borisov, announced the nomination of Georgieva during a cabinet meeting on Wednesday. “We consider that this will be a more successful nomination,” he told ministers. | The Bulgarian prime minister, Boyko Borisov, announced the nomination of Georgieva during a cabinet meeting on Wednesday. “We consider that this will be a more successful nomination,” he told ministers. |
| The foreign minister, Daniel Mitov, said Bulgaria needed to support a candidate who had a bigger chance to become the first eastern European to lead the global organisation. | The foreign minister, Daniel Mitov, said Bulgaria needed to support a candidate who had a bigger chance to become the first eastern European to lead the global organisation. |
| “This was a difficult decision, but it was necessary, so that we give a chance to the (UN) eastern European group to have its secretary general,” Mitov told reporters. | “This was a difficult decision, but it was necessary, so that we give a chance to the (UN) eastern European group to have its secretary general,” Mitov told reporters. |
| He said UN procedure did not allow for a country to withdraw the nominations and that Bokova would have to decide how to proceed. | He said UN procedure did not allow for a country to withdraw the nominations and that Bokova would have to decide how to proceed. |
| She was not immediately available for comment but had, prior to the government’s announcement on Georgieva, told a Bulgarian newspaper that she saw no reason to quit the race. | She was not immediately available for comment but had, prior to the government’s announcement on Georgieva, told a Bulgarian newspaper that she saw no reason to quit the race. |
| The secret ballot on Monday was the fifth held by the security council in the leadership race, and polls will continue until a consensus is reached. The council will then formally recommend the candidate to the 193-member general assembly for election. | The secret ballot on Monday was the fifth held by the security council in the leadership race, and polls will continue until a consensus is reached. The council will then formally recommend the candidate to the 193-member general assembly for election. |
| The next ballot is scheduled for 5 October. Ban will step down at the end of the year after serving two five-year terms. | The next ballot is scheduled for 5 October. Ban will step down at the end of the year after serving two five-year terms. |