Bulgaria's Government Resigned: What Happens Next?

The Constitution obliges the Council of Ministers, even after submitting its resignation, to carry out its duties until the next government takes office. I do not believe that any personnel changes will occur in the coming weeks. This was the comment made on BNT by Stoil Mollov, a constitutional law expert.

“The Constitution sets out very clearly what follows. The procedure for forming a Council of Ministers must begin anew, with the President handing an exploratory government-forming mandate to a candidate nominated by the largest parliamentary group — in this case, GERB. If they fail to form a governmetn or return the mandate, the President should then hand over an exploratory mandate to a candidate proposed by the second-largest parliamentary group. If that mandate also fails, the President shall hand over a mandate to a parliamentary group of his choosing."

Asked whether the process could reach the so-called 'house book' (the list of possible candidates for caretaker prime minister) stage, Mollov replied:

“This would limit the president’s freedom to choose whom he may appoint as caretaker Prime Minister. If matters reach that point, elections would be next, and the President would have to appoint a caretaker government. The "House Book" applies only if this National Assembly exhausts its ability to elect a Council of Ministers. Whether this is the case remains to be seen. If this Assembly succeeds in electing a new regular cabinet — which is theoretically possible — the 'House Book' will not come into play.”

According to Mollov, “we have been living in a political and constitutional crisis for years.”