site.btaParliament Chair Views Differences Between Government and President as Normal Part of Shared Responsibility

Parliament Chairperson Nataliya Kiselova said on Tuesday that contradictions between the government and the President are only to be expected under a system of shared responsibility, especially when their political visions for certain sectors differ. Both sides are aware of the need to compromise to ensure there are permanent officeholders, she said.

These remarks came in the context of the upcoming appointment of a new secretary general of the Interior Ministry. In early July, Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov told MPs that Interior Minister Daniel Mitov had sent a letter of agreement to President Rumen Radev regarding the appointment, and that the President's decision was awaited. At present, Deputy Secretary General Miroslav Rashkov is serving as acting Secretary General.

Kiselova noted that the prolonged political instability and sharp confrontations in recent years were among the reasons for prolonged acting appointments.

Kiselova spoke to reporters in the western town of Dolna Banya before the opening of the first ever European Firesport Championship for men and women. She said Bulgaria's hosting of the event highlights the Interior Ministry's efforts to prevent serious fire damage.

On Monday, the Prime Minister said the Council of Ministers would propose Rashkov for Interior Ministry Secretary General. "We are still waiting for the President to rule on the proposal for the head of the State Agency for National Security (SANS)," Zhelyazkov said, referring to Radev's statement on August 20 that he would announce his decision on proposals submitted by the executive within the coordination procedure for appointments in the security sector by the end of August.

On August 16, Radev commented on institutional cooperation in view of the appointments of a SANS Chairman, a Secretary General of the Interior Ministry, and ambassadors. He said effective dialogue required the government to emancipate itself from behind-the-scenes influences instead of legitimizing them.