site.btaUPDATED President on Deputy PM Tzitzelkov: I Would Sign Decree for His Resignation Immediately

In an interview for bTV given on Friday morning, President Iliana Iotova said that she would immediately sign a decree for the resignation of Stoil Tzitzelkov, the caretaker Deputy Prime Minister in charge of fair elections, if such a proposal came to her desk. Iotova's statement came after reports emerged of Tzitzelkov having been arrested twice – once for marijuana use and a second time for driving under the influence of alcohol with blood alcohol level of 1.2 per mille.

The President said that if those reports are confirmed as true, then Tzitzelkov should also leave the Public Council of the Central Election Commission, of which he is a member.

When asked whether this was a call for the caretaker Prime Minister to request Tzitzelkov's resignation, the head of State said that this had not been considered before the latest amendments to the Constitution. Iotova said that she could only issue a decree for Tzitzelkov's resignation, if there was a proposal from the Prime Minister, or if Tzitzelkov himself submitted his resignation.

The President stated that the idea of a deputy prime minister specifically responsible for the integrity of the elections is more of a symbolic move. She added: "The time for symbols is long gone. Now is the time for concrete action."

Iotova said she had reservations about some of the ministers in the caretaker cabinet but refused to name names stressing that she would closely monitor their work and react to any actions against the public interest. She specified that she had shared her concerns personally with caretaker Prime Minister Andrey Gurov.