site.btaUPDATED Central Bank Deputy Governor Gurov Ready to Serve as Caretaker PM

Bulgarian National Bank (BNB) Deputy Governor Andrey Gurov said on Wednesday he is ready to serve as caretaker prime minister. Gurov spoke to reporters after a meeting with President Iliana Iotova as part of the procedure for appointing a caretaker cabinet.

"I am ready to take the responsibility, if this were to happen following clear principles and no hidden conditions," Gurov said.

"Principles mean that Bulgaria is Europe, and in Europe elections are fair. Fair elections are possible when a caretaker government does not interference in the political arena, remains sufficiently neutral, and operates only within the powers granted to it by the Constitution," Gurov said.

Asked whether he was concerned about the legal case involving him, Gurov said he could not comment from a legal standpoint because he was not a lawyer. "From a professional standpoint, the Administrative Court has already overturned the decision of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), which was the basis for my removal from the Governing Council. A case is now pending before the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU), and at the hearing I received very strong support from the opinions of the European Central Bank (ECB) and the European Commission," Gurov said.

"I have no moral objections whatsoever to accepting such a position," Gurov said, referring to the post of caretaker prime minister.

Andrey Gurov described his conversation with President Iliana Iotova as "very important and symbolic, because we both realize how many eyes are on us and how high the expectations are".

"What I also told her is that fair elections can be held only through honest cooperation among all institutions that have listened to the squares and to what people want," Gurov said. He added that the President would make the right decision.

Asked whether he had spoken with former president Rumen Radev about a caretaker cabinet, Gurov said he had spoken with him during the first caretaker government, when consultations were again being held with potential caretaker prime ministers.

Under the Bulgarian National Bank Act, if the Governor or a Deputy Governor has expressly agreed to be appointed caretaker prime minister, they must submit their resignation.

At present, Andrey Gurov remains a deputy governor of the BNB, even though he has not performed his duties for about a year and a half because of a case now pending before the court, BNB Governor Dimitar Radev said earlier on Wednesday.

At the end of 2024, the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) opened a case following a request for a preliminary ruling from the Supreme Administrative Court (SAC) in connection with the Gurov case.

The case before the CJEU was opened on the same day the questions from Bulgaria’s top judges were received. SAC also requested that the case be examined under the expedited procedure.

The request for SAC to refer questions to the CJEU was filed by Gurov’s defence. SAC decided to submit eight questions concerning the interpretation of provisions of the Statute of the European System of Central Banks (ESCB) and of the European Central Bank (ECB), as well as the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU).

On June 27, 2024, the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) notified the BNB of a decision finding an incompatibility in relation to Andrey Gurov. Then, on July 16, 2024, the BNB said that until the court and parliament decide whether Gurov can serve as a deputy governor heading the Issue Department and as a member of the BNB Governing Council, he would cease exercising his powers.