The Member of the Parliament from the ruling GERB Party, Genoveva Aleksieva, who was tangled in scandal over alleged conflicts of interest is resigning from two parliamentary committees’ deputy chair posts.

The news was reported after a meeting of the Parliamentary Group of the Citizens for European Development of Bulgaria (GERB) party with Prime Minister and party leader, Boyko Borisov.

Borisov is quoted saying it would be impossible for Aleksieva to remain Deputy Chair of the Health and Social Committees in the light of the accusations.

Earlier Wednesday, the Speaker, Tsetska Tsatcheva, also from GERB, said her fellow MP was ready to resign, but first wants to appear before the party’s Executive Committee.

In the last two weeks, Aleksieva’s name was dragged in two scandals. The first included revelations she was a member of the Specialized Scientific Council of Ophthalmology that has assessed her own daughter in a competition for associate professors and was allowed to cast a vote. The daughter, who was not ranked first during the preliminary selection round, ended the winner after the Council’s secret vote.

Initially, Aleksieva declared the report was a “manipulation” and a “lie.” In her words, the goal was to smear her name, as well as the name of GERB, having suggested that the new ruling party was “making shady affairs” like the others.

In the second scandal the MP was accused by a fellow ophthalmologist, Prof. Pravoslava Guguchkova of draining funds from the Health Insurance Fund.

In an interview for the Bulgarian daily “Trud” (Labor), Guguchkova insisted the MP has used her influence to slate separate funds for the condition known as “lazy eye” in children while the Health Insurance Fund (NZOK) already pays for it through another insurance path. She further said “lazy eye” is treated only through homecare and months- and years-long exercises, while any other cure would be considered ridiculous in medical circles, pointing out Aleksieva has a private ophthalmology clinic for children, which works with NZOK.

Aleksieva’s resignation came only about a month since another GERB MP vacated the post of Deputy Chair of the Parliamentary Health Committee and was replaced by her. Plamen Tsekov had to leave after another lobbyist scandal involving an amendment to the Law on Drug Substances which appeared in the State Gazette without the President's signature or a vote on the part of Parliament.

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