Der Spiegel: Bulgaria Has 'Pro-European' Interim Gov't

Bulgaria's new caretaker PM Georgi Bliznashki (Center-L) and outgoing Plamen Oresharski (Center-R) at the ceremony marking the transition of power to the interim cabinet on August 6. Photo by BGNES

A Europe-friendly caretaker cabinet is now governing Bulgaria until the early elections, German weekly Der Spiegel's website [DE] wrote Wednesday.

The new team revealed by President Plevneliev replaces a "pro-Russian government", the magazine reports.

Bulgaria's new government will have as its main task to stabilize "the Balkan country shaken by crises" and to prepare the snap poll scheduled for October 5.

The EU Commissioner for crisis response, Kristalina Georgieva, has now to be nominated again to the EU's executive body, the media outlet adds.

Der Spiegel also quotes Georgi Bliznashki, Bulgaria's interim Prime Minister, as promising to seek "more stability, dialogue and transparency in government" and reports that he wishes to improve Bulgaria's plummeting image in the EU and NATO.

The magazine names only two of the ministers in the interim cabinet - the Foreign Minister ("36-year-old political scientist Daniel Mitov") and the Finance Minister ("the 49-year-old former chief of the agency managing financial aid for agriculture") Rumen Porozhanov.

Porozhanov must now cope with the crisis in the country's fourth-largest lender, Corporate Commercial Bank (KTB) which could cost taxpayers "about EUR 1 B" and which had prompted the cabinet to issue new debt.

Der Spiegel stresses that the caretaker government is due to sign the Partnership Agreement with the EU Commission and also "to prepare the introduction of the euro in the Southeast European country".

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