site.btaBSP-United Left to Have Deputy Ministers in Three Ministries

The BSP-United Left will have deputy ministers in three ministries, coalition leader Atanas Zafirov said on Nova News TV on Saturday. He said Filip Popov will take the deputy minister's seat in the Ministry of Interior, and the same offices in the Ministry of Agriculture and Food and the Ministry of Environment and Water are also going to the left-wing coalition. The incumbents will make some deputy ministerial appointments next week, said Zafirov, who is also Deputy Prime Minister.

Discussing the restaffing of regulatory agencies where tenures have expired, he said the BSP-United Left are ready to propose candidates, particularly to agencies in the social sector.

He confirmed his intention to demand a freeze of the markups for 70 products in the small consumer basket, which he described as common practice in Europe. "The big retail chains should be aware that their end-customers should be respected," he urged.

Asked why the Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) has chosen GERB for a coalition partner, given the history of mutual opposition between the two parties, Zafirov said it is a joint governance arrangement, not a coalition. "It is slightly different. We have not chosen anyone, we have chosen to be responsible before Bulgarian society," he explained. According to the left-wing leader, the participation of the BSP-United Left in the government is not at all costs and can be rethought if the programmes remain unfulfilled.

Zafirov confirmed earlier reports that the BSP's National Council has decided to propose to the party Congress to abandon the direct election rule for BSP leader.