While her centre-right allies expressed public regret at the withdrawal of Roumyana Zheleva as a candidate European Commissioner, while hitting out at those who had campaigned for it, her left-wing detractors said that the decision had been not only inevitable, but too late.
 
Speaking for the socialist group in the European Parliament, leader Martin Schulz said in Strasbourg on January 19 2010 that Zheleva’s resignation had been "inevitable and predictable".
 
"Her decision to go is the best outcome for everyone, including herself," Schulz said. "After such a poor performance in the parliamentary hearings, which highlighted her incompetence, this outcome was both inevitable and predictable.
 
"I regret the way in which the (European People’s Party) EPP group tried desperately to save her despite her performance. It was a serious mistake to put political allegiance before basic competence to do the job.
 
"My group will do everything we can to expedite the hearing of a new Bulgarian candidate. We urge Prime Minister (Boiko) Borissov to reflect carefully on his nomination," Schulz said.
 
The leader of the UK Labour MEPs, Glenis Willmott, said "common sense has prevailed".
 
"The issue was her competence. She did not give a good account of herself at the hearing," Willmot was quoted by the BBC as saying.
 
In Brussels, the delegation of Bulgarian socialists welcomed Zheleva’s withdrawal, but said that it had come too late.
 
"It puts an end to a case that is painful for both Bulgaria and Zheleva herself," the group said, underlining that the main problem with her candidacy had been what they described as her incompetence.
 
Bulgarian National Radio quoted European Commission President Jose Barroso as saying that he respected Zheleva’s "personal decision" to withdraw.
 
A statement by Barroso’s office said that Borissov had in the meantime informed Barroso of his intention to suggest Kristalina Georgieva, currently vice-president of the World Bank, as member of the European Commission.
 
"Barroso will meet her as soon as possible, with a view to considering his agreement to that suggestion," the statement said.
 
Barroso welcomed the "swift reaction" of the Bulgarian Government to the situation.
 
 
The process of the investiture of the new Commission should now continue and be concluded at the earliest opportunity, Barroso’s office said, in a reference to several reports that the withdrawal of Zheleva was expected to delay the process in the European Parliament of scrutinising and voting on the new Commission.
 
The BBC quoted the head of the EPP, Joseph Daul, as saying that Zheleva had been "the victim of a contemptible political squabble".