Seven-Day Deadline: Bulgaria's Caretaker PM Begins Talks on Interim Government, Early Elections Expected in April

The process of forming Bulgaria’s next caretaker government has formally started, with Andrey Gyurov facing a strict deadline. As the nominee for caretaker prime minister, he has seven days to submit the structure and names of the interim cabinet to the president. This means the list must be finalized by February 19. If no objections are raised, the president will issue a decree appointing the caretaker government and will simultaneously set the date for early parliamentary elections, which are expected to take place on April 19.

Further reading: Will Radev and the Liberals Join Forces? What the Caretaker PM Choice Really Means for Bulgaria

Gyurov is now beginning consultations with potential ministers, working under tight time pressure to assemble a complete and workable team. Once the proposal is submitted, the final step will depend on presidential approval, after which the interim cabinet can officially take office and preparations for the elections will move into their final phase.

President Iliana Yotova said that the consultations with parliamentary parties had been useful and emphasized that concerns about a possible conflict of interest surrounding Gyurov no longer exist. She noted that he is the only candidate willing to step down from his position as deputy governor of the Bulgarian National Bank, which, in her words, removes any remaining doubts. According to Yotova, the country cannot afford institutional paralysis, as Bulgaria continues to face serious internal and external commitments.

She added that Gyurov’s appointment would imply shared responsibility between the caretaker cabinet and the National Assembly for addressing the most urgent challenges. Among those discussed during consultations were the organization of fair and transparent elections, measures to curb rising prices, maintaining financial stability in the absence of an adopted euro-area budget, and clarifying responsibility in the Petrokhan case.

Yotova stressed that she will not bear political responsibility for the caretaker cabinet but will act as a corrective factor. She said the presidency would remain open to signals of irregularities and that every such signal would be made public. In her words, recent constitutional changes have significantly narrowed the president’s room for maneuver, effectively limiting the choice of caretaker prime minister to figures preselected through parliamentary majorities. As a result, the decision was reduced to choosing between representatives of the political status quo or the opposition.

She expressed hope that lawmakers would eventually reconsider these constitutional amendments, noting that many political forces now privately acknowledge the consequences of the changes they supported. Asked whether she could refuse to appoint a caretaker cabinet if she disagreed with a proposed minister, Yotova confirmed that the president has the right to return the list if a nominee is deemed contrary to the public interest, citing an existing precedent.

Finally, Yotova underlined that she expects Gyurov to present a cabinet free from political pressure. She made clear that responsibility for both the government and its members will rest with Gyurov himself, who, together with his ministers, will be accountable to the National Assembly, where they are required to take their oath.