site.btaUPDATED Caretaker PM-Designate Gurov: I Take Full Responsibility for All Ministers in Caretaker Cabinet

"I conducted the talks independently and I take full responsibility for all the ministers in this cabinet," said caretaker Prime Minister-designate Andrey Gurov, speaking to journalists after presenting the lineup of the caretaker government to President Iliana Iotova.

"With Andrey Yankulov as caretaker deputy prime minister, we are sending a clear signal about the importance of the judiciary and reforms within it," said Andrey Gurov. Yankulov led the investigation in the "Eight Dwarfs" case and has the moral and legal grounds to demand the dismissal of the chief prosecutor. "We are relying on him to get this work done," Gurov said.

The "Eight Dwarfs" case exposed an informal network for influence peddling within Bulgaria's judicial system and became a symbol of the systemic capture of justice institutions, raising serious concerns about accountability, prosecutorial independence, and the rule of law.

Regarding his nominee for interior minister, Emil Dechev, Gurov said that "it is important that the interior minister be a person who is not affiliated with any political party, so that they cannot be accused of running a political campaign or of supporting a specific project through their actions".

He underscored that in previous elections there has been "a break in the chain from the Ministry of Interior detecting violations during the electoral process to any criminal convictions". He explained that he relies on Dechev to connect these processes and ensure that citizens know that violations are punished.

Regarding the proposed caretaker deputy prime minister for fair elections, Stoil Tzitzelkov, Gurov said that he knows the election process in detail and will help ensure fair elections. "He will be able to coordinate all actions between the Ministry of Interior and civil society participants," Gurov added. "Tzitzelkov is someone who has long been part of the civil council at the Central Election Commission, and he will ensure this connection," he concluded.

Gurov said that in order for elections to be fair and to ensure calm, it is important not only what decisive measures the Ministry of Interior will take, but also the engagement and participation of citizens.

In response to questions about how the claim of distancing from political parties is addressed, given that the list of caretaker ministers includes a representative of ARF as well as the leader of the Edinenie party, Gurov explained that these are individuals with expertise in their respective areas. "Dr. Hasan Ademov served as chair of the parliamentary Social Commission for a long time," Gurov said regarding his nominee for social minister. About Ivan Hristanov, proposed for minister of agriculture and food, Gurov said that he had worked with him and received good feedback about him as someone knowledgeable about the sector.

Regarding the Petrohan Case, Gurov said that he and the president are on the same page: there must be full transparency, and the professionals should be allowed to do their work.

He was referring to a high-profile criminal case in which five men and a 15-year-old boy met a violent death between February 1 and 8 at Petrohan Lodge and Okolchitsa in the western Balkan Range.