site.btaSocialists Call on President to Stop Political Appointment of Ambassadors

Socialists Call on President to Stop Political Appointment of  Ambassadors

Sofia, May 20 (BTA) - The Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) Friday urged President Rosen Plevneliev to stop the political appointment of ambassadors which they say have been made in violation of the Diplomatic Service Act. Speaking in the corridors of Parliament on behalf of his group, Kristian Vigenin MP (BSP), who is a former Foreign Minister, said that the next President will have to recall all ambassadors appointed in excess of the 20 per cent political quota set by the law.

The Socialists argue that the political appointments made by President Plevneliev are nearing 30 per cent of all ambassadorial posts. They also say that Plevneliev is pressuring the government and using his official capacity to ensure diplomatic positions for almost his entire political office in violation of the law and to the detriment of the public interest.

Four of the ambassadors President Plevneliev has proposed come from his administration. His Chief of Cabinet and former caretaker labour and social policy minister Deyana Kostadinova will be an ambassador in Geneva. Former caretaker culture minister and Plevneliev's Secretary Martin Ivanov will be the ambassador to Finland and Estonia. Yordanka Chobanova, who is the President's European affairs advisor, will be appointed as ambassador to Slovakia. Plevneliev's Chief of Protocol Ivan Kondov is nominated for the ambassador's office in Spain and his Secretary Tihomir Stoychev in the US. 

If these appointments go through, the Socialists threaten to take the matter to court and contest each presidential decree or government ordinance for the appointment of ambassadors and general consults.
Vigenin said his party is exploring the legal options for referring the case to the Constitutional Court.

The Socialists also call on Prime Minister Boyko Borissov and Foreign Minister Daniel Mitov to start observing the law, stop diplomatic nominations and take measures to bring the diplomatic service in keeping with the applicable legislation.

According to Vigenin, Foreign Minister Mitov has failed to deliver on a promise he made to the legislature on March 11 to deal with the disproportions in the diplomatic service and limit "outsider" ambassadorial appointments as provided for by the law.