Bulgarian President names deputy head of Audit Office as caretaker Prime Minister

Bulgarian head of state President Roumen Radev appointed the deputy head of the Audit Office, Goritsa Gruncharova-Kozhareva, as caretaker Prime Minister on August 9, while saying that he saw October 20 as the most suitable date for the forthcoming early parliamentary elections.

Given that, he called on Gruncharova-Kozhareva to present him with the line-up of a caretaker government by August 19.

Earlier on August 9, current caretaker Prime Minister Dimitar Glavchev, in office since April 2024, said that he did not want to hold the post again, so as not “to create political tension”.

Handing Gruncharova-Kozhareva a mandate to serve as caretaker PM, Radev said: “The constitution does not specify a clear deadline, but I believe that the most appropriate date for the new early parliamentary elections is October 20.

“In this regard, you should present a draft for the composition and structure of the caretaker cabinet no later than August 19, so that we can let’s fit into the legal requirements,” Radev said.

As amended in 2023, the deputy head of the Audit Office is one of the officials on a short list from which the head of state may choose to appoint as caretaker Prime Minister. Glavchev, head of the Audit Office, was appointed as caretaker PM when, at the time, all others on the list – including Gruncharova-Kozhareva – refused.

Gruncharova-Kozhareva has a master’s degree in accounting from the DA Tsenov Academy of Economics in Svishtov. She held various posts in the Audit Office before being elected its deputy head by Parliament in 2015. She became acting head of the Audit Office in April when Glavchev was appointed caretaker Prime Minister.

Please support The Sofia Globe’s independent journalism by becoming a subscriber to our page on Patreon:

Become a Patron!