Bulgaria's President Admits Rift with Vice President

Bulgarian President Rosen Plevneliev has acknowledged there has been a "problem" between him and the Vice President, Margarita Popova.

"We have not met in a year," he has added.

Regardless of tense relations, however, the two "managed to preserve the institution", he has argued, in an interview with NOVA TV station ten days before leaving office.

Referring to an earlier (now rejected) proposal he made to successor Rumen Radev about offering a caretaker government that he would simply approve, Plevneliev has noted he would have thought twice before doing so if Popova's name were in the proposed cabinet lineup.

Plevneliev has recalled protests staged by nationalist Ataka party in front of the Presidency headquarters, with party supporters asking for his resignation.

"Margarita Popova received them in her cabinet and accepted flowers from them," he has recalled.

Other dubious moves of Popova he has cited include the decision to receive MEP Nikolay Barekov at her office, at a time the latter was fiercely attacking him back in 2013.

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