Bulgarian national Charlina Vitcheva has been apponted as deputy director-general of the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre as of the start of September.

The appointments of Ms Vicheva and three other deputy directors-general to other departments is part of the further strengthening of senior management at the European Commission, the EU executive body said in a statement on Wednesday.

Charlina Vitcheva joined the European Commission as a director in its Regional and Urban Policy department in 2009. She is currently a director for Smart and Sustainable Growth and Southern Europe and is supervising the management of EU funds in a number of EU member states.