Bulgaria names Marin Raikov as interim Prime Minister

Eurasia News

SOFIA: President of Bulgaria Rosen Plevneliev has chosen Marin Raikov as Interim Prime Minister.

Bulgarian President Rossen Plevneliev, in an address broadcast live, unveiled the names that from March 13 will have stewardship of Bulgaria until the results of the May 12 2013 ahead-of-term elections open the way for a new governing coalition.

Raikov (53), who also will be foreign minister, was deputy foreign minister in the centre-right Ivan Kostov administration from 1998, became ambassador to France in 2001, in 2009 was appointed deputy foreign minister in the Boiko Borissov administration, later again becoming ambassador in Paris.

Former Bulgarian government led by Prime Minister Boyko Borisov has resigned 20 February 2013.against the wave of protests that occurred in connection with the sharp rise in electricity prices. The next day the resignation was accepted by the Bulgarian Parliament. Later, the leader of the Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) and the heads of other parliamentary parties rejected the proposal R.Plevnelieva immediately form a new government.

Bulgarian President noted that “technical” cabinet can be appointed on March 13, to “fulfill the constitutional provision” under which the interim government can not survive more than two months.

Recall that the people who came in February 2013. the streets of Bulgarian cities, urged the authorities to break contracts with major suppliers of electricity in the Bulgarian market – Czech companies CEZ and Energo-Pro, as well as the Austrian EVN. According to the protesters, the electricity bill in January rose by almost two times.

In Sofia, the protesters pelted government buildings with eggs and tomatoes, shouting the word “mafia” and “resignation.” They also publicly burned their energy bills and tore portraits B.Borisova. In clashes with police injured dozens of people.

Interim Cabinet list is hereunder:

Bulgaria’s President Rossen Plevneliev announced the line-up of the country’s caretaker government on March 12.

Prime Minister and Foreign Minister – Marin Raikov

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Regional Development – Ekaterina Zaharieva

Deputy Prime Minister and Labour and Social Policy Minister – Deyana Kostadinova

Deputy Prime Minister in charge of EU funds – Iliana Tsanova

Finance Minister – Kalin Hristov

Economy, Energy and Tourism Minister – Assen Vassilev

Interior Minister – Petya Purvanova

Defence Minister – Todor Tagarev

Justice Minister – Dragomir Yordanov

Agriculture and Food Minister – Ivan Stankov

Transport, Communications and Information Technologies Minister – Kristian Krustev

E-government Minister – Roman Vassilev

Health Minister – Nikolai Petrov

Environment Minister – Yulian Popov

Education, Youth and Science Minister – Nikolai Miloshev

Culture Minister – Vladimir Penev

Sport Minister – Petar Stoychev