New Bulgarian Government Assembled After Long Negotiations Amid Pressure and Attacks

GERB and Continuing Change-Democratic Bulgaria (PP-DB) assembled a regular government after long talks throughout the day on Thursday, under a barrage of attacks, insults and pressure from President Rumen Radev and the pro-Russian Revival party, which demand that the two largest political forces give up the mandate. However, before the composition of the cabinet is announced, it must be approved by the leaderships of the individual parties in the two coalitions.

According to unofficial information from Mediapool, on Thursday evening, the first and second political forces have agreed on the entire composition of the future cabinet. Lastly, PP co-chairman Asen Vassilev, who remains the nominee for Minister of Finance, is the only bright political figure among the ministers.

So far, the intentions of the negotiators are to return Radev’s completed mandate before the deadline, which is on Monday.

“The process must be completed. We have progress today. Be patient a little more, we’re making progress”said the PP-DB nominee for rotating prime minister Nikolay Denkov after Thursday’s meeting. He added that until the entire negotiation process is over, nothing is over.

What are the roster moves?

It is expected Maria Gabriel (GERD), in addition to rotating prime minister and rotating vice prime minister, he should also be minister of foreign affairs, as was the initial agreement between Boyko Borisov’s party and PP-DB.

The government’s planned horizon is 18 months. The first 9 prime ministers will be Nikolay Denkov (PP). The next 9 months he will be replaced by Maria Gabrielbut for now it is not known who will head the vacant post of foreign minister.

In the initial draft cabinet of the PP-DB, Irena Dimitrova, who was deputy minister in the same ministry, was proposed as foreign minister.

Currently, the “Yes, Bulgaria” party, which is part of the “Democratic Bulgaria” coalition, remains in the position of not participating with its ministers. However, it becomes clear that “Green Movement”, which is part of DB, offers Zaritsa Dinkova for Minister of Tourism. That would be one of the the new names compared to the draft composition presented a month ago by PP-DB.

In the initial draft cabinet of PP-DB for Minister of the Interior Andrey Yankulov from the “Anti-Corruption Fund” was offered, but he refused. It is now claimed that the post will be filled by the head of the GDBOP Kalin Stoyanovwho was appointed head of the unit against organized crime during the first caretaker government of President Rumen Radev, while the Minister of Internal Affairs was the current PP MP Boyko Rashkov.

There is a change at the Ministry of Social Policy. In May, Ivan Krastev was presented as a candidate. It is now claimed that the post will be filled by Ivanka Shalapatovawho is the director of the “For Our Children” foundation and a former deputy social minister.

The originally proposed for has also been changed Minister of Economy Julian Voinov, the current head of the Bulgarian Investment Agency is said to be proposed in his place Bogdan Bogdanovwhich is close to “Continuing the Change”.

The launched in May for Minister of Sports Dimitar Iliev remains part of the final lineup.

The nomination for Minister of Agriculture in the publicly announced by the PP before handing over the mandate to GERB, the composition of the Council of Ministers has also been changed. Initially it was Hristo Daskalov, who is an MP from the PP and former head of the Bulgarian Food Safety Agency. Now the owner of the company for the production of meat products “Tandem” was preferred Kiril Vatev.

For now, it is expected that some of the ministers proposed a month ago by PP-DB will keep their seats. The co-chairman of the PP Asen Vassilev remains the Minister of Finance.

The unofficial word is that Daniel Laurer (PP) drops from the final list. For the post of Minister of Innovation now the name of the nominee for the same position in the failed project cabinet “Gabrovski” is being discussed – Milena Stoycheva.

The current MP Radoslav Rybarski was expected to remain a candidate for Minister of Energybut according to the latest information, he dropped out and took his place in the cabinet the current vice-chairman of the Association of Industrial Capital in Bulgaria Rumen Radev.

The MP from PP-DB Andrey Tsekov remains the application for Minister of Regional Development, according to people in the know.

According to them, for Minister of Justice is selected Emil Dechev, who is currently the deputy minister in the department. The initial proposal was for Milen Mateev from the PP, who in the previous parliament was the head of the parliamentary legal committee, but he has dropped out.

Minister of Education it will be prof. Galin Tsokov, and not as originally expected Genka Petrova, who was appointed in May, was a deputy minister with the same portfolio in Kiril Petkov’s government.

The ex-deputy of the PP – Georgi Gvozdeikov, is expected to be the candidate for Minister of Transport. He was the head of the state company “Bulgaria Heli Med Service”, which was supposed to perform air medical assistance, but was closed by the office.

It is expected that from the cabinet composition proposed a month ago, the nominee for the Minister of Defense will remain Todor Tagarev. The situation is the same with the nomination for Minister of e-Government – Alexander Yolovsky. It is expected that the Minister of Health will be proposed Hristo Hinkov – long-time director of the National Center for Public Health and Analysis. He was also featured in the original lineup. It remains and Yulian Popov as a nomination for Minister of the Environment. He was already one in an official office in 2013.

Minister of Culture is expected to become the director of the Drama Theater in Plovdiv Krastyu Krastev.

On Thursday morning, Nikolay Denkov reported that there was progress in the negotiations, but refused to discuss the composition of the cabinet with the media. “We choose what is best”he stated.

Denkov also commented that they are looking for support from the DPS for the constitutional reform and the regulators, but there are no talks with this party about supporting the government.

Earlier in the day, GERB leader Boyko Borisov signaled that his party no longer insists on having its own ministers. “PP want to bear responsibility themselves, including with political persons. We with “Yes, Bulgaria” respond to their requests”he said, but the unofficial list shows that PP has withdrawn most of its political figures.