site.btaCaretaker PM Designate Gurov to Propose Cabinet Lineup to President on Wednesday

President Iliana Iotova will receive caretaker prime minister designate Andrey Gurov at the President's Administration on Wednesday, the President’s press secretariat said. He is expected to propose a caretaker cabinet lineup. 

On February 12, Iotova designated Bulgarian National Bank (BNB) Deputy Governor Andrey Gurov as caretaker prime minister and tasked him with proposing a lineup for a caretaker cabinet. On the same date, Gurov accepted the mandate, pledging to act with reason and responsibility amid deep political distrust in the country.

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.

"Expectations for you are very high. We, the citizens of Bulgaria, want elections for the National Assembly that are honest, transparent, well prepared, and properly conducted," the President said, adding that she expects of Andrey Gurov to safeguard every single vote.

At the end of January, Iotova held meetings with all potential caretaker prime ministers included in the menu of options prescribed by the Constitution. Five of them agreed to assume the position, including Gurov, Deputy Ombudsman Maria Filipova, Chair of the National Audit Office Dimitar Glavchev, and Deputy Chairs of the National Audit Office Margarita Nikolova and Silvia Kadreva.

Under the Constitution, after consultations with the parliamentary groups and upon a proposal by the candidate for caretaker prime minister, the President appoints a caretaker government and schedules elections within two months.

In the first week of February, Iotova said that she and her team would do everything possible for elections to be held on the first date after the Easter holidays. The first Sunday after Orthodox Easter is April 19.