European Union Foreign Affairs Chief Catherine Ashton has appointed Bulgarian diplomat Nataliya Apostolova as the new head of EU Delegation to Libya, it was announced on Tuesday.
Apostolova is currently the EU's deputy head of delegation to Egypt and has previously worked in the European Commission's Directorate-General for Enlargement and at the Permanent Representation of Bulgaria to the EU.
EU presence in Libya has been expanded significantly since the beginning of the popular uprising in that North African country in February 2011. An office in the eastern city of Benghazi was opened in May 2011, followed by an office in capital Tripoli in August 2011, which was subsequently opened as an EU Delegation by Ashton in November 2011.
"I am delighted to announce the appointment of Nataliya Apostolova to head our Delegation in Tripoli. Her talent and expertise are significant assets for the EU's external action and I look forward to working with her in support of stability and the transition to democracy in Libya," Ashton was quoted as saying in a press release announcing the appointment.
To complete appointments, an accreditation request for a new head of delegation will be sent to the host country. The selected candidate may take up duty only once accreditation of the host country has been granted and a number of other administrative formalities completed.
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