Rumen Radev elected as Prime Minister of Bulgaria

The deputies approved his proposed composition of the Council of Ministers and elected the members of the government.

Rumen Radev's candidacy for Prime Minister of the Republic of Bulgaria was introduced in the plenary hall by the chairman of the Progressive Bulgaria parliamentary group, Petar Vitanov. It was supported by 124 MPs, 70 were against, and 36 abstained.

Prime Minister Rumen Radev presented the government's priorities in the plenary hall and expressed appreciation to the Bulgarian citizens who, with their vote, have put an end to the political crisis. He stated that on May 11, the Council of Ministers will submit to the National Assembly legislative amendments related to counteracting galloping prices. Among the other priorities of the cabinet, Rumen Radev noted the adoption of the state budget, the fight against inflation and the record deficit, the election of a new composition of the Supreme Judicial Council, the implementation of measures under the Recovery and Sustainability Plan, and others.

The new government will have four deputy prime ministers. Galab Donev will be deputy prime minister and minister of finance, Alexander Pulev - deputy prime minister and minister of economy, investments, and industry. Ivo Hristov and Atanas Pekanov were elected deputy prime ministers.

The Minister of Interior will be Ivan Demerdzhiev; Minister of Defense – Dimitar Stoyanov; Minister of Foreign Affairs – Velislava Petrova – Chamova; Minister of Justice – Nikolay Naydenov; Minister of Labor and Social Policy – Natalia Efremova. Prof. Georgi Valchev was elected Minister of Education and Science, Katya Ivkova – Minister of Health, Ivan Vassilev – Minister of Innovation and Digital Transformation, Ivan Shishkov – Minister of Regional Development and Public Works, and Iva Petrova – Minister of Energy. The Ministers of Transport and Communications, Georgi Peev; of Agriculture and Food, Plamen Abrovski; of Environment and Water, Rositsa Karamfilova – Blagova; of Culture, Evtim Miloshev; of Tourism, Ilin Dimitrov; and of Youth and Sports, Encho Keryazov.

Following their election, the Prime Minister and the members of the new government took the oath before the National Assembly. The anthems of the Republic of Bulgaria and the European Union were played in the plenary hall.

The parliament session was attended by President Iliana Yotova, Acting Prime Minister Andrey Gyurov, the Bulgarian Patriarch and Metropolitan of Sofia Daniil, ministers from the acting cabinet, representatives of state institutions, and the diplomatic corps.

Earlier, Qazinform News Agency reported that following a snap election, Radev’s bloc eyed a coalition in Bulgaria.