site.btaGERB, Reformist Bloc Agree on Government Composition, Borissov Nominated for Prime Minister

GERB, Reformist Bloc Agree on Government Composition, Borissov  Nominated for Prime Minister


Sofia, November 4 (BTA) - GERB and the Reformist Bloc (RB)
Tuesday agreed on the government's composition, GERB nominated
their Chairman Boyko Borissov for prime minister and received
the RB's support, Radan Kanev of the RB said after the two
negotiating teams met in Parliament.

Roumyana Buchvarova of GERB said that the government will have
three deputy prime ministers and 18 ministers.

Kanev explained that the RB will have a deputy prime minister
without portfolio and six ministers.

The ABV Movement party, a possible partner, will get one
ministerial portfolio, expected to go to Ivaylo Kalfin as social
policy minister. Further meetings will decide if the Patriotic
Front will be offered a ministerial post.

Both Kanev and Buchvarova stressed this was the beginning of the
final consultations on the government's structure and
composition. Both said they would not become ministers, but
Buchvarova declined to say if she would be nominated as deputy
prime minister.

The meeting was attended by Boyko Borissov and RB leaders
Meglena Kuneva, Radan Kanev, Bozhidar Loukarski, Korman
Ismailov, Nikolai Nenchev and Borislav Velikov.

The RB has never disputed the largest political force's right to
nominate the prime minister, Kanev said. He added that the
Reformists support the proposed government formula as being the
most reliable way to achieve a majority in this Parliament,
which is a "a place for compromise, not for confrontation".

Once President Rosen Plevneliev gives Borissov a mandate, GERB
want to submit the cabinet's structure and composition to
Parliament as early as possible, before the end of the deadline
set in the Constitution, said Buchvarova.

The RB and GERB discussed and approved the nominees to the
Council of Ministers, who will be announced on Wednesday after
each parliamentary group puts them to the vote: the RB on
Tuesday evening and GERB on Wednesday morning.

The Economy, Energy and Tourism Ministry will be divided into
three ministries. The Investment Planning Ministry will be
closed down.

Buchvarova said the aim was to form a cabinet which reflects the
voters' will based on the results of the October 5 elections.

Kanev said he was not comfortable with the idea that a
nationalist formation (the Patriotic Front) and a left-wing
party (ABV) would support the GERB-RB cabinet, but agreed that
compromises were needed after all.

The appointment of regional governors was discussed in principle
at the meeting.

On GERB's side, Tomislav Donchev will be the likely deputy prime
minister, responsible for EU funds, while Roumyana Buchvarova
is expected to be deputy prime minister without portfolio,
responsible for state governance and e-government.

According to various news outlets, GERB's likely ministers are:
Vezhdi Rashidov for culture, Delyan Dobrev for energy, Ivo
Marinov for tourism, Vladislav Goranov for finance, Ivaylo
Moskovski for transport, Desislava Taneva for agriculture,
Liliyana Pavlova for regional development, Ivelina Vasileva for
environment, Veselin Vouchkov for interior and Krasen Kralev for
sport.

Asked by a journalist in Parliament whether he would accept a
ministerial position, Bozhidar Loukarski of RB said: "Yes, I
would be a minister. Loukarski is expected to head the Economy
Ministry, but he did not confirm it.

Meglena Kuneva is expected to be deputy prime minister without
portfolio and be responsible for justice.

Among the names from the RB's ranks, who are expected to become
ministers, are: Peter Moskov for health, Todor Tanev of the RB's
Citizens' Board for education, Nikolay Nenchev for defence,
Hristo Ivanov for justice. Caretaker Foreign Minister Daniel
Mitov will likely keep his post from the RB's quota.