site.btaBSP-United Left and Vazrazhdane to Petition Constitutional Court to Restore President's Powers to Form Caretaker Cabinets

The Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP)-United Left and Vazrazhdane gathered 55 signatures to petition the Constitutional Court to restore the presidential authority in forming caretaker cabinets, BSP-United Left's Borislav Gutsanov said during a joint briefing with Vazrazhdane in the National Assembly on Friday.

"We have determined that it is time for the Constitutional Court to issue a definitive decision on the process of forming caretaker cabinets," said Natalia Kiselova from BSP-United Left. She noted that after the recent constitutional amendments, the President can select from a "short list" of prime minister candidates, some of whom have not yet been appointed.

"We suggest that the Constitutional Court rule the section of the constitutional provision concerning the selection process by the head of State, and the eligibility of individuals with dual citizenship to run for parliament, as unconstitutional," Kiselova said.

Petar Petrov from Vazrazhdane said that it's time to petition the Constitutional Court again for the reinstatement of the previous system, where the president is fully accountable for the caretaker government. Petrov said he expects the petition to be filed the same day.

The constitutional amendment in question is Article 99 of the Constitution, which says that when no agreement on a government has been reached, the President, in consultation with the parliamentary groups and on the proposal of the prime minister designate, appoints a caretaker government and schedules new elections within two months. Following the amendments to the Constitution, the head of State may choose the caretaker prime minister from among the Parliament Chair, the Governor or one of three Deputy Governors of the Bulgarian National Bank, the President or one of two Deputy Presidents of the National Audit Office and the Ombudsman or his/her deputy.

In March 2024, President Rumen Radev appointed Dimitar Glavchev as caretaker Prime Minister. In August 2024, Radev refused to decree a new caretaker cabinet proposed by caretaker prime minister-designate Goritsa Grancharova-Kozhareva over disputes regarding the nomination of a caretaker interior minister. Afterwards Radev handed a government-forming mandate to Dimitar Glavchev, the head of the caretaker Cabinet at the time, and subsequently confirmed Glavchev's second appointment as caretaker PM.