President Radev: October 20 is the most appropriate date for the snap elections

New caretaker Prime Minister Goritsa Grancharova-Kozhareva met with President Rumen Radev at the Presidency on August 9. The Head of State has entrusted her with forming a new caretaker government.

National Audit Office Vice President Goritsa Grancharova-Kozhareva is the new Caretaker PM

The President said he expected her to propose a caretaker government by 19 August and that the most appropriate date for the next early parliamentary elections was 20 October.

"The constitution does not set a clear deadline, but I believe the most appropriate date for the next early parliamentary elections is October 20. In this regard, you should present a draft of the composition and structure of the caretaker cabinet by August 19 at the latest so that we can fit into the legal requirements," Radev addressed Kozhareva.

He thanked her for accepting the post.

I take this mandate with the clear responsibility of forming a government, Goritsa Grancharova-Kozhareva replied.

"I will form a caretaker cabinet to ensure the normal functioning of the state until a regular government is formed, but the main task of this cabinet will be to organise and hold fair elections."

The President also thanked the outgoing caretaker Prime Minister Dimitar Glavchev for his efforts, for the results achieved and for taking responsibility at a time when all the other candidates on the potential list had declined.

"I have always strived for the caretaker prime minister to be equally distant from the parties on the current political terrain. There was no way this principle could be applied in the selection of Glavchev because of the refusal of all the others. Over the past months tensions have built up around his caretaker cabinet over suspicions of political use of caretaker power. I have always believed that caretaker governments are meant to calm an already tense political situation, not the other way around."

Radev congratulated Glavchev for having realised the reality and acted with dignity by refusing to take the post of caretaker Prime Minister for the second time.

The President's announcement about the appointment of Gruncharova-Kozhareva came this morning - minutes after the Council of Ministers announced that Dimitar Glavchev had refused to be caretaker Prime Minister for the second time. The reason was not to create political tension.

Images by Dessislava Kulelieva, BNT