Bulgaria's president appoints new caretaker PM

Sofia, Aug 9 (IANS) Bulgaria's President Rumen Radev on Friday nominated Goritsa Grancharova - Kozhareva as new caretaker prime minister, tasking her with proposing a caretaker government.

The constitution does not specify a deadline for the caretaker prime minister to present the cabinet lineup, but the president has requested this to be done by Aug. 19.

Given the situation that has arisen and the consultations with political parties on Thursday, the most appropriate date for the new early parliamentary elections was Oct. 20, Radev said. "In this regard, you should propose the composition and structure of the caretaker government no later than Aug. 19, so that we can fit into the legal requirements," Radev told Kozhareva.

Kozhareva's cabinet will replace the current caretaker government led by Dimitar Glavchev, who was appointed on April 9 after the resignation of Prime Minister Nikolai Denkov on March 5. The parliament had failed to produce a regular cabinet after the snap elections on June 9.

Glavchev, who previously served as president of the Bulgarian National Audit Office (BNAO), was selected from a limited pool of eligible candidates defined by constitutional amendments passed in December 2023, Xinhua news agency reported.

These amendments stipulate that the caretaker prime minister must be chosen from among the speaker of the National Assembly, the governor or deputy governor of the Bulgarian National Bank, the president or vice-president of the BNAO, or the Ombudsman or a deputy Ombudsman.

Radev said that over the past months, tensions have escalated due to suspicions of political use of Glavchev's government. "I have always believed that caretaker governments are meant to calm the tense political situation," Radev said.

"Dear Mrs. Kozhareva, in this situation, you are the only possible option," Radev said during the appointment.

Kozhareva, holding a master's degree in accounting and control from the DA Tsenov Academy of Economics in Svishtov, has extensive experience in banking and finance. She had held various high-ranking positions within the BNAO before being elected deputy head in 2015. She became acting head of BNAO in April when Glavchev was appointed caretaker prime minister.

After the appointment, Kozhareva expressed her commitment to forming a cabinet that would ensure the state's normal functioning until a regular government is established.

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