site.btaUPDATED Deputy Ombudsman Maria Filipova Says She Would Accept to Serve as Caretaker Prime Minister

Deputy Ombudsman Maria Filipova said on Thursday that she would accept to serve as caretaker prime minister if President Iliana Iotova deems it appropriate. Filipova made the statement to journalists after her meeting with the President as part of the constitutional procedure for appointing a caretaker government.

In response to a question about why she believes she can handle the position, Maria Filipova said: "For you and your viewers, and for the journalists with whom we are not acquainted, my name is Maria Filipova, and for 15 years I have been a civil servant, working through various state institutions for the well-being of the people."

Earlier in the day, Ombudsman Velislava Delcheva said after her meeting with President Iliana Iotova that the ombudsman has no place in government.

"The representative functions and the entire activity of the ombudsman institution are led by the Ombudsman; I only provide technical support," Maria Filipova replied when asked about Delcheva’s remarks. "That is also what the regulatory framework provides for, to the extent that she has delegated tasks to me. She has delegated work to me that has nothing to do with representing the institution," Filipova added. 

"The President has not yet made her decision; hearings with the others are still to come," Maria Filipova added.

Under the Constitution, the deputy ombudsman is among the possible options for caretaker prime minister. The Constitution stipulates that a caretaker prime minister shall be appointed from among the National Assembly Chair, the Governor or a Deputy Governor of the Bulgarian National Bank, the President of the Bulgarian National Audit Office (BNAO) or their deputy, and the Ombudsman or a Deputy Ombudsman. 

On Friday, Iotova will receive BNAO President Dimitar Glavchev and BNAO Vice Presidents Margarita Nikolova and Silvia Kadreva. 

On Wednesday, the head of State held talks with Bulgarian National Bank (BNB) Governor Dimitar Radev and his deputies Petar Chobanov, Andrey Gurov and Radoslav Milenkov. Only Gurov said he is ready to serve as caretaker prime minister. 

Meeting with the President on Tuesday, Parliament Chair Raya Nazaryan declined the post. 

Under Article 99, paragraph 5 of the Constitution, after failure to reach agreement on forming a government, the President, following consultations with the parliamentary groups and on the proposal of the candidate for caretaker prime minister, appoints a caretaker government and schedules new parliamentary elections within two months.

In late 2025, then-President Rumen Radev held consultations with parliamentary groups following the resignation of the Rosen Zhelyazkov Cabinet. On January 16, Radev said Bulgaria was heading toward snap parliamentary elections after the Alliance for Rights and Freedoms received and returned the third mandate to form a government. Earlier, the first two exploratory mandates - handed to GERB-UDF and Continue the Change-Democratic Bulgaria - had also been returned.