Bulgaria’s “new” caretaker cabinet takes oath before October 27 early elections
The second Dimitar Glavchev caretaker cabinet took the oath of office in the National Assembly on August 27, hours after President Roumen Radev signed the decree naming October 27 as the date of Bulgaria’s next early parliamentary elections.
The special sitting of the National Assembly for the swearing-in, called during Parliament’s recess, lasted just eight minutes, including the oath-taking and playing of the Bulgarian and European Union anthems.
Glavchev will head an interim government with just three personnel changes compared with the one that took office in April and that subsequently underwent minor changes.
Controversial figure Kalin Stoyanov is out as caretaker Interior Minister, but his successor in that portfolio, national police chief Atanas Ilkov, has been described by some parliamentary groups as similarly serving Movement for Rights and Freedoms (MRF) co-leader Delyan Peevski.
Peevski said last week that were Stoyanov excluded from the next caretaker cabinet, he would place him on his list of parliamentary election candidates.
The other changes in the second Glavchev cabinet are deputy foreign minister Ivan Kondov taking over the Foreign Minister portfolio, until now held by Glavchev, and Transport Ministry legal department head Krassimira Stoyanova taking over the Transport Minister portfolio from Georgi Gvozdeikov.
The October 27 elections will be the seventh time in just more than three years that Bulgarians elect a legislature. Only two of those elections produced an elected government, neither of which served a full term in office.
Bulgaria: Another Expert Cabinet, Sets GERB Dominance
Boyko Borissov announced that GERB will begin negotiations for an expert cabinet and majority starting Monday. He insists that the government will only be formed with the first mandate, dominated by his party, and that the prime minister, foreign minister, and defense minister must be from GERB. Borissov himself will not run for prime minister to facilitate the negotiations. If these conditions are not met, Bulgaria will head to another election in September.
“There will be a government if the prime minister is from GERB. I will not run for prime minister to ease negotiations,” Borissov clarified. He announced a negotiating team comprising Temenuzka Petkova, Raya Nazaryan, and Denitsa Sacheva, with negotiations starting on Monday. Borissov believes the first mandate is the only chance to form a cabinet, warning that failure to do so will lead to September elections.
Borissov justified the need for GERB‘s dominance in the cabinet by stating that he cannot explain to his supporters why GERB, having won the elections again, should cede key ministerial positions. He confirmed that Mariya Gabriel will not be part of the cabinet and emphasized that GERB will not form a coalition with the Movement for Rights and Freedoms (DPS), despite past collaborations on various topics.
Borissov stressed the need for a government within the next seven days, warning of the exhaustion caused by repeated elections. He expressed respect for President Radev but highlighted the importance of avoiding institutional confrontations. Borissov also commented on the resignation of “Yes, Bulgaria” leader Hristo Ivanov, expressing regret and emphasizing the need for statesmanship over ego in these times.
BULGARIA with a NEW Caretaker Cabinet until July
World Wires on Bulgaria: Caretaker Cabinet Will Have to Tackle Pandemic, Ensure Fair Elections
Bulgaria‘s President Rumen Radev called a snap parliamentary election on Tuesday for July 11 and appointed Stefan Yanev, his close security and defense adviser, as caretaker prime minister until a new government is formed.
The European Union’s poorest member state is heading to the polls again three months after an inconclusive election in April resulted in a fragmented parliament that failed to produce a government.
Yanev, 61, who was a deputy premier and defense minister in the first caretaker government Radev appointed in 2017, will be tasked to manage the coronavirus pandemic and ensure a fair election, the president said in a statement, confirming an earlier report by Reuters.
President Radev is a harsh critic of long-serving prime minister Boyko Borissov.
Yanev’s government will also have to decide whether or not to submit a national plan to Brussels on how Sofia plans to use more than 6 billion euros from the EU’s coronavirus Recovery Fund.
In charge of the country’s finances will be Assen Vassilev, 43, a graduate of Harvard University, who served as caretaker economy and energy minister in 2013. Vassilev was part of the team that prepared Radev’s proposals for projects to be financed with EU recovery funds.
Borissov’s incumbent center-right GERB party again emerged as the largest party after the April vote, but it had lost seats due to popular anger against entrenched corruption and was shunned by other parties for a coalition government.
After Borissov failed to form an administration, so too did attempts by a new anti-elite party led by TV host Slavi Trifonov, and by the third largest party, the Socialists.
Analysts say the fresh election in July is likely to produce another fragmented parliament that could complicate the formation of a government. A recent opinion poll showed Borissov’s GERB and Trifonov’s ITN (There is Such a People) party running neck-and-neck.
Bulgaria: SECOND Party Returns Cabinet Mandate within a WEEK
Bulgaria’s President Will Hand 3rd Cabinet Mandate to the BULGARIAN SOCIALIST PARTY
At a short ceremony President Rumen Radev expressed the opinion that Bulgaria needs a viable and efficient government. His words come in response to the decision of the second large parliamentary party There Is Such a People to return the mandate to form a government that they received.
“In response, I would like to state that it is in a crisis like we have today that Bulgaria needs a regular and effective government, and therefore every mandate is viewed with special hope. But I also understand your motives, because a sustainable and effective government cannot be created on the basis of unprincipled bargains and cannot be a commitment of only one party,” Radev said. According to the President, Bulgarian society has been waiting for years for parliament to make concrete decisions and make the electoral process more transparent.
“Sustainability in social and economic policy in times of crisis is also no less significant. In this regard, some decisions of the Bulgarian Parliament are particularly important.
They must be taken independently of the procedure for designating the executive power. We must seek balance between the procedure for forming a government, the legislative activities of the National Assembly and the important challenges our country is faced with. Along with all the proposals that are received and considered in the Bulgarian National Assembly, the most important thing is missing – the outgoing government has not submitted a proposal for an update of the budget and deprives Bulgarian pensioners, citizens and businesses of support in case the NA is dissolved and a caretaker government is appointed”, Radev said.
Bulgaria Added to Russia’s List of “Unfriendly States”
US Supports Bulgaria
Bulgaria’s President Will Hand 3rd Cabinet Mandate to the BULGARIAN SOCIALIST PARTY
President Rumen Radev will service the third exploratory mandate for the formation of a government to the prime minister designated by the third largest parliamentary group in the 45th National Assembly – BSP for Bulgaria. This will happen on May 5, 2021, at 11:00 a.m., at the President’s Office. BSP for Bulgaria floor leader and socialist leader Kornelia Ninova told a news briefing in Parliament that a decision about what to do with the mandate will be made by the BSP‘s collective bodies.
“I will call an extraordinary meeting of the BSP‘s Executive Bureau which will set the date and time for convening the party’s National Council which will discuss the situation and will make a decision about what to do with the third mandate,” said Ninova. Asked about which parliamentary groups BSP will negotiate with about a possible cabinet, she said that this will be decided by the BSP‘s National Council. “Of course, negotiations with GERB are out of the question,” she said.
President Rumen Radev further has started to constitute the caretaker government, which has emerged as inevitable. Surely the prime minister in it will be Gen. Stefan Yanev. Harvard alumni Assen Vassilev is the second well known person in the future government, Maritsa daily reports.
Vassilev was already minister of economy, energy and tourism in the caretaker government of Marin Raykov in 2013.He was also part of the team that prepared the proposals of President Rumen Radev for projects to be financed under Bulgaria’s Recovery and Sustainability Plan.
Government Elections in Bulgaria (2005-2021):
2005 Parliamentary Elections
2006 Presidential Elections
2007 Municipal Elections
2009 Parliamentary Elections
2009 European Parliament elections
2011 Presidential Elections
2011 Local Elections
2013 Early parliamentary elections
2014 Early Parliamentary Elections
2015 Municipal Elections
2016 Presidential election
2017 Parliamentary elections
2019 European Parliament election (23-26 May)
2019 Bulgarian local elections
2019 Municipal Elections
2021 Parliamentary elections
AS WE HAVE PREVIOUSLY PROPOSED, THIS PUTS BULGARIA BACK ON THE “RED LIGHT OF 30 YEARS OF COMMUNISM…” AS IN 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 AND 2020…
BULGARIAN ELECTION: Bulgaria: Prime Minister and Cabinet Step Down
Government Elections in Bulgaria (2005-2021):
2005 Parliamentary Elections
2006 Presidential Elections
2007 Municipal Elections
2009 Parliamentary Elections
2009 European Parliament elections
2011 Presidential Elections
2011 Local Elections
2013 Early parliamentary elections
2014 Early Parliamentary Elections
2015 Municipal Elections
2016 Presidential election
2017 Parliamentary elections
2019 European Parliament election (23-26 May)
2019 Bulgarian local elections
2019 Municipal Elections
2021 Parliamentary elections
AS WE HAVE PREVIOUSLY PROPOSED, THIS PUTS BULGARIA BACK ON THE “RED LIGHT OF 30 YEARS OF COMMUNISM…” AS IN 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 AND 2020…
According to Article 111(2) of the Constitution of the Republic of Bulgaria, Prime Minister Boyko Borisov submitted to the newly elected 45th National Assembly the resignation of the Council of Ministers he headed. Prime Minister Borisov’s letter tendering the resignation of the Cabinet was deposited today with the President of the National Assembly via the registries of the two institutions. In accordance with Art. 111, para. 3 of the Constitution, the government led by Prime Minister Borisov will continue to perform its functions until the election of a new Council of Ministers and will ensure continuity in government.
Bulgarian Cabinet resignation – what happens next?
Plamen Oresharski formally resigned as prime minister on July 23, after weeks of speculation and – in certain quarters – anxiety about whether he would play his part in carrying out the agreement reached by political parties to hold early parliamentary elections.
The Wall Street Journal: Bulgaria’s Prime Minister Plamen Oresharski late Wednesday submitted his resignation to parliament, a move that will lead to his entire cabinet stepping down after a tumultuous year marked by public protests, a banking crisis and confrontations with the European Union. [more]
Bulgarian Outgoing Ministers React to Cabinet Resignation: Most of Bulgaria’s outgoing ministers have assessed their work in office as “positive” and have voiced warnings the next government would face a number of issues. [more]
Deutsche Welle: Socialist-backed Oresharski Cabinet resigns in Bulgaria. Bulgaria’s prime minister has resigned ahead of snap elections to end months of political turmoil in the European Union’s poorest country. The legislature as expected approve the resignation on Thursday. [more]
New York Times: The fate of one of the biggest banks in the European Union’s poorest country, Bulgaria, remains hostage to a political crisis, which caused the prime minister’s government to resign on Wednesday. [more]
BBC: Bulgaria prime minister quits to allow snap election. The embattled Socialist prime minister of Bulgaria has resigned after only a year in office to allow for an early election on 5 October. [more]
MORE to COME:
- August 5, 2014 – President Plevneliev announces the line-up of the caretaker Cabinet, which will have reduced powers and whose main task will be to prepare and hold the snap elections. This will be the second caretaker government appointed by Plevneliev, who was elected on the GERB ticket in 2011 – in March 2013, he appointed ambassador Marin Raykov as caretaker prime minister.
- August 6, 2014 – the 42nd National Assembly is officially prorogued by presidential decree.
- October 5, 2014 – Bulgaria holds early parliamentary elections.
HISTORY of EVENTS:
- Bulgarian Elections 2013
- Election Results in Bulgaria 2011
- Election’s Perspectives for Bulgaria
- Bulgarian Elections 2009
Bulgaria’s Cabinet to Resign
The Oresharski cabinet will resign on July 23, Wednesday, Bulgaria’s Minister of Economy Dragomir Stoynev told Darik yesterday.
The minister emphasized that the faster the early elections, the better, because “the political crisis could affect the economy.” He also said, however, that before its resignation, the current government has to choose Bulgaria’s next EU Comissioner, who will not be withdrawn by the caretaker government.
Stoynev expressed that current Bulgarian Commissioner Kristalina Georgieva unfortunately has no chance of being nominated as High Commissioner for Foreign Affairs despite the strong support from Prime Minister Oresharski. “I’m pretty sure that her candidacy will not succeed” he noted by refusing details. As a report on the work done last year in office, Stoynev stated that Bulgaria had growth of above 1% – which has not happened since the crisis from 2009. “The Cabinet created 40,000 jobs, which has been unprecedented in the last five years,” he commented.
Minister Stoynev is against the current state budget update attempts, as he deems that unneccessary. In his opinion, the budget of NHIF also does not need to be updated. “Pouring money into an unreformed system of mismanagement will not solve the problem,” he said and recommended to look for internal reserves by restructuring the health budget.
