site.btaUPDATED President Discusses Caretaker PM Appointment Procedure with CC-DB

Prior to the consultations on the caretaker prime minister appointment procedure with Continue the Change - Democratic Bulgaria (CC-DB) here on Tuesday, President Iliana Iotova said that the public's expectations of fair and transparent elections need to be covered.

Iotova stated: "We must respond to the Bulgarian citizens' expectations. They demanded fair and transparent elections and good organization of the elections in order to have trust in Bulgarian institutions and the electoral process restored."

Commenting on the amendments to the Electoral Code that will reduce the number of polling stations outside diplomatic missions of non-EU Member States, Iotova said that these amendments would be minimal. She added that one of the most important topics in the conversation with the CC-DB will be what needs to be done to ensure that Bulgarian citizens' expectations regarding the days leading up to the election and election day itself are met.

Iotova said: "Following the latest amendments to the Constitution, the National Assembly will continue to work and may meet at any time when necessary. Political responsibility is not interrupted in this way. It is shared, even in the situation we are in, even more strongly between the National Assembly and the Council of Ministers." She added that the current cabinet is still working, even if it is outgoing, so with the help of parliament, it can address some of the more pressing issues.

The President pointed out that there are five eligible officials who have agreed to be appointed as caretaker prime minister and added: "I will fulfil my constitutional powers. I will assign a mandate to one of these candidates with the clear understanding that in a different situation, under the [previous version of the Constitution], my choice might have been different."

Iotova highlighted security, predictability, and stability as the top priorities for Bulgaria in the current situation.

Regarding the security services, the President noted that the presidential institution has been deprived of any role in the process of appointing their leaders. In October 2025, parliament decided that the chairpersons of the State Agency for National Security, State Intelligence Agency, and the State Agency for Technical Operations will be elected by a decision of the National Assembly and not appointed by presidential decrees.