site.btaPresident Iotova Nominates BNB Deputy Governor Andrey Gurov as Caretaker Prime Minister, Drawing Mixed Political Reactions

President Iliana Iotova on Wednesday nominated Bulgarian National Bank (BNB) Deputy Governor Andrey Gurov as candidate for caretaker prime minister, the President’s press office announced. On Thursday at 10:00 a.m., Iotova will meet with Gurov at the President’s Administration to formally task him with forming a caretaker government.

Under the Constitution, after consultations with parliamentary groups and upon a proposal by the caretaker prime minister-designate, the President appoints a caretaker cabinet and schedules elections within two months. Iotova previously indicated that her team would aim to hold elections on the first Sunday following Orthodox Easter, which falls on April 19. 

Under the BNB Act, a Governor or Deputy Governor must resign if they accept an appointment as caretaker prime minister. 

Political Reactions

Political reactions to the nomination were mixed, reflecting divisions across Bulgaria’s political landscape:

Continue the Change (CC) – Party leader Assen Vassilev welcomed the nomination, calling it a “good step” toward fair elections. He added that if Boyko Rashkov were appointed Interior Minister, it would further guarantee electoral integrity, citing low instances of vote-buying under Rashkov’s previous tenure. Vassilev stressed that Gurov should assess the composition of the Council of Ministers in consultation with the President.

Movement for Rights and Freedoms (MRF) – New Beginning – Deputy Floor Leader Iskra Mihaylova-Koparova acknowledged Gurov’s political ties, noting he was previously the Floor Leader of Continue the Change–Democratic Bulgaria Parliamentary Group. She reiterated that the caretaker prime minister must remain as distant as possible from political forces and emphasized that the President bears full responsibility for both the choice of caretaker prime minister and the caretaker government’s work. 

Alliance for Rights and Freedoms (ARF) – Floor Leader Hairi Sadakov expressed support, describing Gurov as “the most distant from the current model”, stressing the importance of organizing fair elections, including accurate reporting of results.

BSP–United Left – Floor Leader Nataliya Kiselova said the party expects Gurov to present a competent and independent Council of Ministers to carry out the primary task of ensuring fair elections. She noted that Gurov is currently on unpaid leave from the BNB and that a ruling from the Court of Justice of the European Union is pending. Kiselova emphasized that the responsibility for selecting a caretaker Interior Minister rests with Gurov and assumed a caretaker government could be formed by February 18.

Vazrazhdane Party leader Kostadin Kostadinov commented that President Iotova's choice of caretaker prime minister is actually the choice of her predecessor Rumen Radev, who "flirted with two political groups: Alliance for Rights and Freedoms and Continue the Change - Democratic Bulgaria. We have heavy political reservations about Gurov, and are sure that he will live up to them one hundred per cent," the Vazrazhdane leader said. 

Velichie – Leader Ivelin Mihaylov described the nomination as “a step toward fairer elections,” calling Gurov a counterpoint to potential caretaker prime ministers aligned with the current government. He recommended Boyko Rashkov as the best option for Interior Minister, citing the entrenched corruption within the ministry.

GERB-UDF – Deputy Floor Leader Denitsa Sacheva criticized the constitutional “house book” limiting potential candidates for caretaker prime minister, calling it far from ideal. She said the caretaker cabinet would effectively reflect CC–DB’s influence, noting that GERB-UDF left the choice entirely to President Iotova during consultations.

There Is Such a People (TISP) – Floor Leader Toshko Yordanov and party leader Slavi Trifonov condemned the nomination, claiming it would result in unfair elections controlled by CC–DB. They raised legal concerns regarding Gurov’s status at the BNB and questioned whether the President had considered potential deadlocks should incompatibility be confirmed. Trifonov also accused CC–DB of seeking elections with their Interior Ministry under their influence.

Former President Rumen Radev (2017–2026) – Radev praised the nomination as “the optimal choice within the Constitution mutilated by the assemblage,” a reference to previous constitutional amendments restricting potential caretaker prime ministers. He expressed hope that Gurov would meet citizen expectations for fair elections and criticized the outgoing government for signing long-term contracts for state railway services, calling on voters to “put an end to the plunder.” 

MECh was the only parliamentary group that did not comment on Gurov's nomination. During their consultations with President Iotova on Tuesday, the MPs of MECh said that Gurov's is the only nomination possible, "because he is the only one who can break away from the [MRF - New Beginning leader Delyan] Peevski and [GERB-UDF Floor Leader Boyko] Borissov model". 

Gurov’s Background 

Andrey Gurov was born on December 31, 1975, in Gotse Delchev, Southwestern Bulgaria, according to the BNB website.

He studied economics at Sofia University for two years before leaving for the United States in 1997 on a student work programme and continuing his education there. In 1999, he obtained a bachelor’s degree in economics from Truman State University in Missouri.

Between 1999 and 2000, he worked as a credit analyst at Harris Bank in Chicago. He later moved to Vienna, where he began doctoral studies and worked at Volksbank.

In 2005, he earned a PhD with a dissertation on the implementation of Basel II and related decisions by mid-sized banks in a competitive environment, after which he became Assistant Professor of Finance at the University of Vienna.

In 2008 and 2009, he served as Managing Director of Pirin Golf Holidays Club, according to Capital.bg. Since 2010, he has been Assistant Professor at the American University in Bulgaria, teaching finance.

Since 2007, he has been a member of the Euro Team at the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Economic and Financial Affairs. Between February 2005 and May 2009, he was a member of the Board of the Bulgarian Macroeconomic Association. From 2010 to May 2013, he was a Board member of the Institute for New Economic Progress. Since July 2022, he has chaired the Scientific Council of the Institute of Economics and Policies at the University of National and World Economy.

Between 2016 and 2021, he taught capital markets at the University of Applied Sciences of the Austrian Chamber of Commerce.

In 2021, he was invited by Kiril Petkov to join the Continue the Change party.

Gurov was MP in the 47th, 48th and 49th National Assemblies. He served on the Budget and Finance Committee in the 47th National Assembly and chaired the parliamentary group of Continue the Change. In the 48th and 49th legislatures, he again chaired the parliamentary group and was a member of the Committee on European Union Affairs.

Since July 26, 2023, Andrey Gurov has been Deputy Governor of the BNB, Head of the Issue Department and member of the BNB Governing Council. He was elected by the 49th National Assembly for a six-year term.

At present, Gurov remains Deputy Governor of the BNB, although he has not performed his duties for about a year and a half due to a case currently before the court, BNB Governor Dimitar Radev said on January 28.

At the end of 2024, the Court of Justice of the European Union opened a case following a request for a preliminary ruling by the Supreme Administrative Court concerning Gurov’s case. The proceedings were initiated on the same day the questions from the Bulgarian supreme judges were received. The Supreme Administrative Court also requested that the case be examined under an expedited procedure.

The request for a referral to the Court of Justice of the European Union was made by Gurov’s defence. The Supreme Administrative Court decided to submit eight questions related to the interpretation of provisions of the Statute of the European System of Central Banks, the European Central Bank and the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union.

On June 27, the Anti-Corruption Commission informed the BNB of a decision establishing incompatibility with regard to Gurov. The Commission had found that when taking up his post at the BNB, Gurov was a partner in a commercial company and a member of governing bodies of non-governmental organizations, without having obtained permission from the bank’s Governing Council. On July 16, the BNB announced that pending a ruling by the court and Parliament on whether Gurov may serve as Deputy Governor heading the Issue Department and member of the Governing Council, he would suspend the exercise of his powers.