Yotova: The Goal is Fair Elections, We are Ready for a Caretaker Cabinet

The most important goal is to hold fair, transparent, and well-organized elections, said President Iliana Yotova at the beginning of the consultations with GERB-SDS within the framework of the procedure for appointing a caretaker prime minister. The Head of State noted that this "was also the desire of hundreds of thousands of Bulgarian citizens who protested".

We are doing everything possible in the situation we are in to have the first possible date for holding elections. We have no intention of artificially delaying and dragging it out over time. We are guided by the desire to hear everyone – both the candidates (for caretaker prime minister - editor's note), and the parliamentary groups, as well as to take into account the holidays, because it is due to the people and they deserve it, commented Yotova.

The election of a new Chairman of the National Assembly is entirely in the hands of the MPs, the President said regarding the proposal of GERB-SDS to elect a new Chairman of the Parliament, so that there is also a new candidate for caretaker prime minister. In no case can it be my wish or recommendation, even less the election of a specific person, because I am from the people who deeply believe in the separation of powers, Yotova added. “I will also offer it to the other parliamentary groups, because I understand that this is your proposal, but in the little time we have until the elections, frankly, I don't know if this is possible,” the President stated. 

According to the Constitution, the Chairman of the National Assembly is one of the ten positions from which the Head of State can choose a caretaker prime minister.

We have difficult times ahead in the coming months, but our goal is common – transparent and fair elections and a working state - both until the formation of a caretaker cabinet, and during its work until a regular government, explained Iliana Yotova.

The President pointed out that the consultations are part of the constitutional procedure, but cannot be formal in any case.

After the recent amendments to the Constitution, the National Assembly is a permanently acting body, Yotova said. According to her, this shows that political responsibility is not interrupted, but on the contrary, it becomes even more shared between the legislative power, the executive power, between the Council of Ministers and the National Assembly. I hope for constructive work in the future, Yotova added.

Iliana Yotova noted that after the amendments to the Constitution, she must choose a caretaker prime minister from among exactly ten specific people. They are chosen by the National Assembly, the President pointed out. Unfortunately, half of them refused, guided by various considerations – both of a political nature and restrictions related to national and European legislation. I will fulfill my constitutional powers and assign a mandate to one of them, commented the Head of State.

Today's consultations are related to your assessment of the most important and urgent issues that our country must solve in the coming months. Your assessments and positions will help me to choose which of the five who agreed will be the most suitable. I will take into account all your considerations and positions, but I will make my decision mainly according to my understanding of the interests of the state and the citizens, Iliana Yotova also said.

Later today, a conversation is also planned with "We Continue the Change - Democratic Bulgaria".

Last week, Yotova met with all potential caretaker prime ministers holding the positions indicated in the Constitution. Five of them expressed their readiness to take the post - the deputy governor of the Bulgarian National Bank (BNB) Andrey Gyurov, Deputy Ombudsman Maria Filipova, the chairman of the Audit Office Dimitar Glavchev, as well as the deputy chairmen of the Audit Office Margarita Nikolova and Silvia Kadreva.