Bulgarian President Appoints Senior Central Bank Official as Acting Prime Minister

Bulgaria Appoints Deputy Central Bank Governor as Interim Prime Minister

President Iliana Iotova has appointed Andrey Gurov, the country’s deputy central bank governor, to serve as interim prime minister. According to reports from the state-run Bulgarian News Agency (BNA), Iotova plans to meet with Gurov tomorrow to formally task him with leading a caretaker government.

This move comes after the previous cabinet resigned on December 11 due to widespread protests against its economic policies and perceived failure to address corruption. The protesters were primarily concerned about the planned 2026 budget, which would have increased social security contributions and some taxes in an effort to balance state financing shortfalls.

A snap election is expected to take place soon, marking the eighth parliamentary vote in just five years for Bulgaria, a member of both the European Union and NATO. No official date has been set for the election, but Iotova had previously stated that she aimed to hold it by mid- to late-April.

Iotova became Bulgaria’s first female head of state last month after her predecessor, President Rumen Radev, also resigned. It is expected that Radev will establish a new party in the coming days. The country has faced prolonged political instability, with parties struggling to form stable ruling coalitions in its fragmented parliament.

Source: Al Jazeera