Outgoing Bulgarian President Discovers Long Lost Love for Cabinet

Tuesday Bulgarian President Georgi Parvanov (R) awarded his VP Gen Angel Marin (L) with the Stara Planina order, 1st degree, Bulgaria's top state medal. Photo by BGNES

Outgoing Bulgarian President Georgi Parvanov has mouthed unusually warm words regarding the inimical cabinet of PM Boyko Borisov upon awarding his VP Angel Marin with Bulgaria's highest state distinction.

"I am very moved, for this medal expresses the common will of the Bulgarian institutions and I want to expressly state my gratitude to the Council of Ministers and to Minister of Defense Anyu Angelov in particular," said Parvanov upon awarding Gen. Marin with the Stara Planina order.

Although the highest state distinctions in Bulgaria are awarded by the President, he can do so only at the proposal the cabinet.

Ever since its coming to power after July 2009's general elections, the center-right GERB cabinet of PM Boyko Borisov has been at loggerheads with long-serving President Parvanov, sometimes the opposition flaring into virulent mutual criticisms.

It is also of note that Parvanov has in particular had occasions of explicit conflict with Minister of Defense Anyu Angelov, over the choice of appointments at senior military and intelligence positions.

Bulgaria's President Georgi Parvanov is to step down from his second and constitutionally last 5-year term in office on January 22.

He is to hand down Bulgaria's Presidency to GERB's Rosen Plevneliev, who won the second round of presidential elections in Bulgaria, October 30, 2011, with 53% of the vote, against the opposition Bulgarian Socialist Party's candidate, MEP Ivaylo Kalfin as a runner-up.

Before his first term as President of Bulgaria, Parvanov chaired the Socialist Party (1996-2001), and he has not hidden his intentions to return to it, once no longer a President.

It is widely believed that Parvanov will try to challenge current Socialist Party chair and ex-PM (2005-9) Sergey Stanishev for the Socialists' leadership position at a congress in March or October.

Over the summer of 2011, when asked about his future plans in politics, Parvanov has intimated that he would like to pave the way for opening the Bulgarian Socialist Party to new coalition partners.

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