Bulgarian President Yotova plans April 19 as date of early parliamentary elections
Bulgarian President Iliyana Yotova said on February 12 that if caretaker Prime Minister Andrei Gyurov presents her with a proposed interim Cabinet within the required timeframe, she will decree April 19 as the date of the country’s early parliamentary elections.
Yotova was speaking after handing Gyurov, deputy governor of central Bulgarian National Bank, a mandate to propose a caretaker Cabinet, and giving him – as the constitution envisages – a timeframe of seven days to do so, meaning February 19.
The constitution provides that on a caretaker government taking office, the elections must be held within two months.
At the ceremony to hand the mandate to Gyurov, Yotova told him: “The expectation for you are extremely high”.
“We, the Bulgarian citizens, demand the holding of fair, transparent, well-prepared and well-conducted elections for the National Assembly,” Yotova said.
“You will work in a situation with a permanently functioning National Assembly,” she said, a reference to the 2023 constitutional amendments that provide that, when elections are coming, the National Assembly remains in office until the members of the next one are sworn in.
Gyurov told Yotova: “In a normal situation, this would be a short conversation. You hand me the folder, I take it and everyone knows what comes next. But the situation is not normal”.
“This is a situation in which no one trusts anyone and you give me your trust. I accept it, despite the stipulation of a limited choice. But I will approach it with reason and I will approach it with responsibility.”
Gyurov undertook to assemble a caretaker Cabinet of people with experience, expertise and decency, and said that he would get to work immediately.
Yotova, speaking at a briefing after the ceremony, said that she had chosen Gyurov to be caretaker Prime Minister because he was the only one to resign his post as deputy governor of Bulgarian National Bank, which eliminated any suspicions of a possible conflict of interest if he heads the government.
She said that she expects him to present a Cabinet without political pressure, to take responsibility as Prime Minister, but also responsibility for the ministers he will propose. “They will not be my choice,” Yotova said.
Gyurov, speaking to reporters after the ceremony, responded to accusations that he is a prominent political figure from We Continue the Change – in two previous parliaments he was the group leader of We Continue the Change – Democratic Bulgaria – by saing that he was not a member of WCC: “I am not dependent on any political party”.
Regarding the line-up of the proposed caretaker Cabinet, he said: “Unfortunately, I cannot say names today. There are meetings and talks ahead. I am starting the talks and they will proceed very quickly. I am not discussing names at the moment. I have to hold the talks and I will let you know “.
(Photos: president.bg)
