President held consultations with parliamentary groups on new caretaker government
President Rumen Radev held consultations with parliamentary groups on August 8 in connection with the appointment of a caretaker government.
"I know that time is precious because the election campaign has practically started. Unfortunately, the 50th National Assembly failed to elect a government and we are heading for another early elections. In order to set a date for them I need to hold these consultations, to identify a candidate for caretaker Prime Minister. His/her task is to hold fair, transparent, open elections. Under the constitutional changes that have been adopted, my options are very limited. I have proceeded to talk to all potential Prime Ministers. These talks have not been finalised. My conviction is that we should not delay the process any longer. There must be clarity," Head of State Rumen Radev said.
The consultations take place after the parliamentary forces failed to reach agreement on a regular government following the early parliamentary elections on June 9. According to the Bulgarian Constitution, after the parties fail to put together a regular government, the President should hold consultations with the parliamentary groups, should appoint a caretaker government and should schedule elections within two months. After the changes to the Constitution in December 2023, the President can choose the caretaker Prime Minister-designate from among several options: the Speaker of the Parliament, the Governor or a Deputy Governor of the Bulgarian National Bank, the Chair or a Deputy Chair of the National Audit Office, and the Ombudsman or a Deputy Ombudsman.
"Regardless of the controversial assessments regarding the amendments to the Constitution, this consultation procedure is an integral part of the procedure for appointing a caretaker Prime Minister and cabinet. Political groups and political representatives in the Parliament should not interfere, should not give advice and guidance on what the cabinet should be and who should be nominated as Prime Minister and ministers, because this lies entirely within your competences and the competences of the Prime Minister, appointed by you," GERB-UDF MP Rosen Zhelyazkov said.
"The only comment we make is that the main task of the caretaker cabinet is to ensure fair elections. We have said on other occasions that we have no trust in the current Minister of Interior, Kalin Stoyanov, and this is not just because I have worked with him and have enough information and personal impressions that there is a problem. There is also evidence to suggest that we have reason to do so. Our appeal is that when you and the next prime minister are discussing the composition of the cabinet, if you can take this into account and look for other leadership of the Ministry of Interior," said Nikolai Denkov of “We Continue the Change-Democratic Bulgaria”.
According to the leader of "Vazrazhdane" consultations are pointeless because things are clear.
"This consultation is largely unnecessary because things are clear - you have the opportunity to choose between people who are in limited composition. These are people who are appointed mainly on the proposal of Peevski (MRF) and Borissov (GERB-UDF). For us there is no suitable figure for a prime minister at the moment and this consultation is pointless, part of a pointless procedure that was done to limit the powers of the presidential institution, it was done because the President's name is Radev, that is the truth. What Bulgarian citizens do not like in Bulgarian politics is the hypocrisy of politicians," said Kostadin Kostadinov, the leader of "Vazrazhdane", Kostadin Kostadinov said.
President Rumen Radev commented on his position why he rejected the replacement of Raya Nazaryan as Speaker of Parliament.
"Believe me, it is really "ridiculous"- to use this soft word, to approach the situation, the role and the functions of the National Assembly as the highest body in the state in such a way. For me, this is no way to approach a Speaker of the National Assembly, no matter who, I am abstracting from personality here. A politician must work with thought and vision ahead. To change the Speaker only for this purpose, I do not accept it, my position is in defense of parliamentarism," Rumen Radev stressed.
Yordan Tzonev of the Movement for Rights and Freedoms said that a Parliament that lacks a majority to be responsible for the state’s budget and legislative activities, is dangerous because it produces bad and harmful legislation, a legislation of poor quality. In the last 3-4 years, we have seen financial stability blown up by populism. The easiest thing is to be populist, as no one is responsible.
"After the changes in the Constitution, which BSP for Bulgaria was against, your possibilities for choosing a caretaker Prime Minister were severely limited, said Borislav Gutsanov from BSP.
In his opinion, the candidate for Prime Minister should be impartial and equally distant from all political parties in order to ensure a fair vote, normal elections, which is the main priority of the caretaker cabinet.
"His/her main task is to ensure fair and honest elections. This will be the seventh early elections in three years, which is not normal," Borislav Gutsanov added.
He urged him to make the talks for a future Bulgarian commissioner as clear and public as possible so that a worthy representative of Bulgaria is elected.
"On 20 October there will be local by-elections and a combination of these two votes would be good to increase turnout. Such a date would be more acceptable and if it is later, it could be considered something more normal," Borislav Gutsanov said.
Images by Dessislava Kulelieva, BNT
