Bulgarian Labour and Social Policy Minister Bisser Petkov resigns
Bulgarian Prime Minister Boiko Borissov accepted on June 11 the resignation of Bisser Petkov as Minister of Labour and Social Policy, the government press centre said.
According to the statement, Petkov told Borissov that he was submitting his resignation because he could not deal with the tensions that have arisen in connection with the demands of parents who have children with disabilities.
On June 11, parents of children with disabilities in Bulgaria’s Black Sea cities of Varna and Bourgas embarked on open-ended protests against the state’s social policy.
Recently, there have been protests outside the Parliament building in Sofia by parents of children with disabilities, who object to the care system and have called for various reforms.
The reforms that they want include the compilation of a register of children and adults with disabilities, categorised by disability, as well as individual assessments of the needs of people with disabilities, as well as appropriate treatments and therapies.
Petkov’s resignation is the third to be submitted to Borissov since he became Bulgaria’s Prime Minister for the third time in May 2017. Nikolai Petrov stepped down in October 2017 as health minister, to be replaced by Kiril Ananiev.
In January 2018, Temenuzhka Petkova submitted her resignation as Energy Minister over the CEZ deal. Borissov did not table the application to resign in the National Assembly and Petkova remains in office.
Bulgarian law requires that Petkov’s resignation requires approval by the National Assembly to take effect. Formerly head of the state social insurance institute, Petkov was appointed to the Cabinet at the nomination of the United Patriots, the minority partner in Borissov’s government.
