Bulgarian President Pledges Caretaker Govt by March 8

Bulgarian President, Rosen Plevneliev, vowed to act as a unifier of the nation in current difficult times. Photo by BGNES

Bulgaria's President, Rosen Plevneliev, pledged the country will have a caretaker government by the end of next week, adding he already had a recovery plan for the political crisis.

Plevneliev spoke after outgoing Prime Minister, Boyko Borisov, turned down the presidential mandate given to his party Citizens for European Development of Bulgaria to form an interim Cabinet.

Plevneliev noted the Consultative Council on National Security was convening Tuesday to guarantee safety and stability and working institutions despite the two-week long protest rallies shaking the country.

On Wednesday, the President is going to offer the mandate to the second largest group in the Parliament after GERB – the left-wing Bulgarian Socialist Party, BSP, as the Constitution postulates. On Thursday, he will address the MPs to provide "full clarity" on future developments; on Friday he will offer the mandate to the ethnic Turkish party Movement for Rights and Freedoms, DPS, in case the Socialists turn it down as well.

BSP and DPS have already declared plans to refuse forming an interim government.

"If all three parties decline, on Monday I will issue clear messages, coming from a President who is ready to bear his cross and is fully responsible regarding institutions. You will hear then the priorities of the caretaker government. Most likely, between Wednesday and Friday next week, I will reveal the names of the people who will help the State in this difficult situation and work on its priorities," said the President.

He reminded he has no authority to appoint a program Cabinet, as the demonstrators have demanded.

"I expect this week the responsible position of all parliamentary represented parties. Bulgaria is and will be in the spotlight not only of citizens, but of Europe and the world," Plevneliev stressed.

He added he wanted to respond fully to public interest and thanked the media who have been critical to him. The President informed he has sent the demands of the demonstrators to all institutions.

"I have been elected by 2 million people. This motivates me to act as a unifier of the nation. I will listen to everyone, but the rule of law must be preserved," he concluded.

Borisov, on his part, proposed for BSP and DPS to form the interim government.

Last week, Bulgaria's Parliament approved the resignation of the GERB government amidst unprecedented since 1997 protest rallies against unbearable utility bills and wide-spread poverty that turned into a civil unrest against the political model of ruling the country.

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