site.btaCabinet's Collective Acts Cannot Be Callenged, Prime Minister Says in Wake of Court Ruling on Ex-Economy Minister's Dual Citizenship

October 29 (BTA) - Collective acts of the Council of Ministers cannot be challenged, Prime Minister Stefan Yanev said on Friday, commenting on a Constitutional Court ruling which declared unconstitutional the appointment of Kiril Petkov as economy minister of the previous caretaker cabinet.

On Wednesday the Constitutional Court ruled that the decree by which President Rumen Radev appointed Kiril Petkov to the caretaker government in May was issued in violation of the Constitution, as according to the Basic Law, a minister can only be a Bulgarian citizen. At the time of his appointment Petkov also had Canadian citizenship.

The case was brought up in mid-August by 55 MPs of the ex-ruling GERB party.

Petkov, who co-chairs the Continue the Change Coalition with another former minister of the same government, is running in the November 14 parliamentary elections.

Yanev also said: "Some of his individual decisions could probably be challenged before the Supreme Administrative Court. Given that we are heading for elections on November 14, it is likely that interested parties will emerge."

Yanev said he had learned about Petkov's Canadian citizenship in the summer when it was publicized. "Petkov did a good job as minister. He is a young man with a future, he should keep up the good work, only he should take care to abide by the Constitution and the law," he said.

The caretaker Prime Minister said he would not comment on the decisions of the Constitutional Court or any other Bulgarian court. ZH/DD