Bulgaria’s Caretaker Cabinet Takes Office, Vows Fair Election Conditions

Caretaker Government and Election Timeline

SOFIA, Feb 19 (Reuters) - Bulgaria's caretaker government led by Andrey Gyurov, deputy governor of the Bulgarian National Bank, took over duty on Thursday and pledged to secure conditions for fair elections on April 19.

Why the Previous Cabinet Resigned

The previous government resigned on December 11 following weeks of street protests over its perceived failure to tackle corruption and tax rises to support higher state spending.

Minister for Fair Elections Announced

Key Appointments and Roles

Stoil Tsitselkov, a member of the Public Council of the Central Election Commission, was named minister for fair elections, the first ever such position in Bulgaria's government.

Election Date and Recent Cycle

After consultations with political parties, President Iliana Iotova named Gyurov as caretaker prime minister and set April 19 as the date for a parliamentary election, the eighth in five years.

"We will accept the challenge to govern the country until the election of a regular cabinet," Gyurov told MPs.

Policy Priorities and Budget Plans

"Aside from fair elections, we will work on key governmental issues. We will prepare the new extended budget and the base of the 2026 budget," he said.

Eurozone Status and Political Context

Bulgaria, which joined the euro zone on January 1, has faced prolonged political instability, with parties unable to form stable ruling coalitions in a fragmented parliament.

(Reporting by Alex Lefkowitz; editing by Philippa Fletcher)