site.btaPresident Radev Mandates GERB-UDF Coalition to Form Cabinet

Sofia, April 20 (BTA) - Bulgarian President Rumen Radev Tuesday
handed a cabinet-forming mandate to Daniel Mitov, the prime
minister designated by GERB-UDF, the largest parliamentary group
 in the 45th National Assembly which, however, alone does not
have a 121-vote majority to push it through.

Given that the remaining five forces in the new Parliament have
stated their decision not to support a GERB-UDF cabinet, it is
unlikely that the mandate will succeed.

Earlier on Tuesday, outgoing Prime Minister and GERB Party
leader Boyko Borissov unveiled the prime minister designate and
the cabinet members that the GERB-UDF coalition will propose to
the 45th National Assembly:

Prime Minister: Daniel Mitov; Deputy Prime Minister and Defence
Minister: Roumen Hristov; Interior Minister: Mladen Marinov;
Culture Minister: Kalin Velyov; Minister in charge of EU Funds:
Tomislav Donchev; Foreign Minister: Ekaterina Zaharieva; Labour
and Social Policy Minister: Denitsa Sacheva; Regional
Development and Public Works Minister: Alexander Ivanov; Justice
 Minister: Desislava Ahladova; Environment and Water Minister:
Ivelina Vassileva; Agriculture, Food and Forestry Minister:
Dessislava Taneva; Economy Minister: Zhechko Stankov; Energy
Minister: Delyan Dobrev; Youth and Sports Minister: Krassen
Kralev; Tourism Minister: Lyuben Dilov Jr.; Education and
Science Minister: Krassimir Valchev; Health Minister: Kostadin
Angelov; Finance Minister: Kiril Ananiev; Transport, Information
 Technology and Communications Minister: Rossen Jeliazkov.

Asked on Monday whether there is an option GERB giving up the
idea of submitting a cabinet proposal, outgoing Deputy Prime
Minister Tomislav Donchev did not rule out this possibility. "We
 don't want to waste time needlessly. The right thing for
Bulgaria is to have a working government with solid
parliamentary support as soon as possible, even if this implies
for use to serve honestly in opposition," he commented.

Under the Constitution, if GERB-UDF fail in their attempt to
form a cabinet and/or have it approved by the legislature in
seven days, the mandate will go to the second largest
parliamentary group - There Is Such a People. If their prime
minister designate is also unsuccessful within the same time
limit, the President will mandate a third parliamentary group of
 his choice. Failing this, he will have to dissolve the National
 Assembly and appoint a caretaker cabinet to prepare and hold
early parliamentary elections within two months. /ZH, LG