site.btaConstitutional Law Expert: Whatever Action Is Taken Is within Parliament's Powers

The responsibility now lies with the Parliament and whatever action is taken, it is within the Parliament’s powers, because the President can refuse a caretaker government proposal, but cannot appoint a caretaker government that does not have an interior minister, Nataliya Kiselova, a constitutional law expert, said here on Monday. She was approached for comment shortly after President Rumen Radev said he would not decree into office the caretaker government proposed by Goritsa Grancharova-Kozhareva, the caretaker PM designate.

Kiselova argued that Bulgaria has a political crisis, and not a constitutional one.

When asked about what the next steps would be, Kiselova said the President is letting the National Assembly choose an ombudsman and a deputy ombudsman.

She added that if parties in Parliament wanted elections, they would convene to plan the election of a new ombudsman.

Parliament is currently in summer recess.

Asked if Glavchev could step down as caretaker prime minister, Kiselova said he would not: he would not be responsible for organizing the elections and would only remain in office until a new government is elected. Kiselova added that the speed of this process depends on the parties in Parliament.

The President does not want to talk to potential candidates and prefers that the list is completed first. The National Assembly's rules say the ombudsman is appointed with a procedure that takes at least 14 days and this can happen during a recess, Kiselova said, "We can expect the ombudsman to be elected by late September or early October, with elections two months later." The process would take longer, but the Constitution does not set a deadline. "First, a caretaker government must be appointed," Kiselova added.

Also, two Vice Presidents need to be elected to the National Audit Office because the current Vice President are long past their term in office. "This was supposed to be done by Dimitar Glavchev. Last year he had two weeks to submit candidates to be elected by the National Assembly," Kiselova said. She explained that because Glavchev suspended his duties as president of the National Audit Office to serve as caretaker PM, he could not pick his deputies. Kiselova suggested that the National Audit Office could adopt new rules for choosing the National Audit Office president.