Bulgarian Prime Minister Nikolay Denkov has submitted his resignation to the National Assembly as part of a planned step with his party's governing coalition party that calls for the rotation of the office after nine months.
This press center of the Council of Ministers announced the resignation of Denkov and his government on March 5, nine months after Denkov's coalition government was approved by Bulgaria's parliament with the backing of the parliament's two biggest political groups -- the center-right GERB and Continue the Change/Democratic Bulgaria (PP-DB).
According to the plan agreed when GERB and PP-DB announced their agreement on the composition of the government, Denkov was to hold the post of prime minister for nine months and then hand the job to Foreign Minister Maria Gabriel.
"This is not a political game but keeping one's word, an expression of continuity, political fair play and respect for citizens," Denkov said in a statement. "I am now honoring the commitment that we assumed by the joint declaration on June 6, 2023."
Denkov's announcement came after GERB presented its draft coalition plan earlier on March 5 after weeks of disputes between the two political blocs. The main issues are who should take the position of foreign minister and whether there should be a change in regulators.
According to PP-DB, Denkov should become foreign minister, while GERB wants to hold on to the post. It proposed in its draft coalition plan that Gabriel maintain the position for the next nine months while simultaneously serving as prime minister. It also proposed more time between rotations -- 15 months instead of nine months.
Under the power-sharing arrangement agreed in June, all other ministers would remain in their posts, but since then the GERB has asked for some ministers to be replaced.
The PP-DB in February proposed a treaty under which the joint leadership agreement would remain intact but that would speed up anti-corruption reforms. But the GERB refused and proposed the draft coalition agreement. Both parties have threatened early elections if no agreement is reached. It would be the sixth round of elections in less than three years in the EU and NATO member country.
The redistribution of ministerial posts is supported by Delyan Peevski, a veteran lawmaker, who last month was elected co-chairman of the Movement for Rights and Freedoms.
Peevski, who has been sanctioned by the United States and Britain for alleged corruption, was elected co-president with Djevdet Chakarov, another veteran member of parliament and environment minister from 2005-09 when the Movement for Rights and Freedoms was in the governing coalition.
The Movement for Rights and Freedoms it is not in the governing coalition, but Peevski attends government majority meetings in parliament and the party votes with the ruling majority in the National Assembly.
The PP-DB's priority is changing people in regulatory bodies whose mandates have expired. GERB and the Movement for Rights and Freedoms believe that this should come later.