site.btaGurov Accepts Mandate to Form Caretaker Government, Pledges Fair Elections

Bulgarian National Bank (BNB) Deputy Governor Andrey Gurov Thursday accepted the mandate to form a caretaker government after being tasked by President Iliana Iotova, pledging to act with reason and responsibility amid deep political distrust in the country.

"You are placing your trust in me, and I accept it, despite the caveat of a limited choice,” Gurov said at the ceremony. He described the current political environment as highly abnormal. "The situation is not normal. This is a situation in which no one trusts anyone," he added.

Addressing the President, Gurov said: "You are handing me the folder; I am taking it, and everyone knows what follows from here." He acknowledged the weight of public expectations and outlined the key task ahead. "I understand how much expectations are focused on us, and I understand the task - to ensure fair elections, to help people see meaning in participating and to vote, and to work without creating hysteria," he said.

Gurov stressed that restoring confidence in public institutions begins with the people who represent them. "For there to be trust in government, people must first trust the individuals who represent it," he noted. He pledged to assemble a team based on professionalism rather than party affiliation. "In the coming days I will do my best to find the right people and form a team in which everyone will feel represented," he said, adding that cabinet members would be selected for their "experience, expertise, and integrity," not their political positions.

He acknowledged the pressure associated with serving in a caretaker government at a time of heightened public expectations and did not rule out the possibility of reputational attacks against future ministers. "I understand that at this moment no one expects to be invited to join a caretaker government burdened with extremely high expectations," Gurov said, adding that some names could be smeared. Nevertheless, he insisted that those who join would rely on their professional record and moral standing. "They will not impose themselves through aggression, they will not act brashly, but will instead bring calm," he said.

Gurov concluded by making clear that the caretaker government would not expect automatic public backing. "We do not expect a vote of confidence; we do not even expect trust. We expect the opportunity to prove ourselves through our work," he emphasized.