A second day of consultations is under way on February 4 between President Iliyana Iotova and parliamentary parties over the appointment of a caretaker prime minister.
The deputy chairs of 'Movement for Rights and Freedoms (MRF) – New Beginning' parliamentary group, Iskra Mihaylova and Erten Anisova, attended the meeeting the President, along with MP Atidzhe Alieva-Veli.
At the start of the talks with 'MRF – New Beginning' group, President Iotova said there was broad agreement on the inadequacy of the latest constitutional amendments, which she argued deprive the presidency of any real choice in appointing a caretaker prime minister.
“The most recent constitutional changes stipulate preliminary talks with candidates for caretaker prime minister and the parliamentary groups. These talks are very necessary,” Iotova said, adding that she is required to nominate one of the five individuals who have agreed to take on the role.
She said she is required to nominate one of the five individuals who have agreed to serve as caretaker prime minister.
“The President has no choice and cannot bear responsibility for the selection of a caretaker prime minister — that responsibility lies with the National Assembly,” Iliyana Iotova stressed, recalling that under the latest constitutional amendments parliament functions as a permanently active body.
President Yotova was categorical that the most important task is the holding of fair and transparent parliamentary elections, while the country also faces a number of crucial challenges in the coming months.
“People who took to the streets demanded a state governed by the rule of law and the organisation of fair elections. After the constitutional changes, the National Assembly continues to operate as a permanent institution. How the caretaker cabinet functions depends on the political responsibility of Parliament,” she added.
Iotova also said that she and her team would do everything possible to ensure the elections are held on the first available date after the Easter holidays — 19 April.
photos by Dessislava Kulelieva, BNT
“The most important task of the caretaker cabinet to be appointed is to guarantee fair and transparent elections that restore public trust in Bulgaria’s system, political parties and institutions. A lack of trust in the electoral process is a lack of trust in the state as a whole,” said Iskra Mihaylova, deputy chair of the 'MRF – New Beginning' parliamentary group, speaking to President Iliyana Iotova.
Mihaylova noted that the caretaker government must also assume responsibility for issues that directly affect citizens’ daily lives. “I will begin with the prevention of potential price speculation and pricing policy, in order to ease tensions. It is important for citizens to feel the control that the state must exercise,” she said.
According to her, the caretaker government should make efforts to continue the municipalities’ investment programme. She added that the caretaker cabinet also bears significant responsibility for overseeing compliance with Bulgaria’s budgetary policy.
“Our political force will support a prepared budget — even if it is drafted by a caretaker government — provided it is socially oriented and fulfils commitments to improving people’s quality of life,” Mihaylova said.
As for the choice of caretaker prime minister, Mihaylova remarked that the president “has a fairly broad choice”, without commenting on the five individuals who have so far expressed willingness to take the post from the so-called “house book”.
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Based on the 2023–2024 amendments to the Constitution of Bulgaria, the President must select a caretaker Prime Minister from a specific list of senior officials, often referred to as the "house book" or "limited list". As of early 2026, this list of potential candidates includes:
Speaker of the National Assembly: Raya Nazaryan
Governor of the Bulgarian National Bank (BNB): Dimitar Radev.
Deputy Governors of the BNB: Petar Chobanov, Andrey Gurov, Radoslav Milenkov.
President of the National Audit Office: Dimitar Glavchev.
Deputy Presidents of the National Audit Office: Margarita Nikolova, Silvia Kadreva.
Ombudsman: Velislava Delcheva
Deputy Ombudsman: Maria Filipova
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