Bulgarian Prime Minister Boiko Borisov nominated European Parliament deputy Mariya  Gabriel (37) (#MariaGabriel) a member of his center-right GERB party, to become the country’s new European commissioner.

She will replace Kristalina Georgieva, who became chief executive officer of the World Bank.

“Thanks to her professional qualities and long experience in the European Parliament, I am convinced that Maria Gabriel will make an important and valuable contribution to the work of the Commission,” Borisov said in a statement.

Borisov discussed the issue of the nomination with European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker. Gabriel’s portfolio will be discussed with the commission mid-May when Gabriel will meet Juncker.

A linguist, fluent in French, Gabriel  obtained her Master’s degree in ‘Comparative Politics and International Relations’ from the Post-Graduate School of Political Science of Bordeaux in 2003.  She received many international awards for struggling for women’s rights and gender equality.