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New Bulgaria Government of PM Boyko Borisov Sworn In
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The head of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Maxim (L), attended the extraordinary session of the parliament at the invitation of the new prime minister Boyko Borisov (R). Photo by BGNES
Bulgaria's new government headed by Prime Minister Boyko Borisov of the GERB party was sworn in Monday morning.
Bulgaria's parliament expectedly approved the structure of the center-right government of Boyko Borisov, leader of the winner in the recent general elections GERB party, voting 162-78.
The conservative center-right GERB claimed 116 MP seats in July 5 vote, shattering Prime Minister Sergey Stanishev's Socialist Party and falling just five seats short of holding a majority in the 240-seat unicameral parliament, which made it easy for it to enter a wide range of informal alliances.
Three other smaller right-wing Bulgarian parties - the nationalist "Ataka" party of Volen Siderov (21 MP seats), the rightist Blue Coalition of Ivan Kostov and Martin Dimitrov (15 MPs), and the conservative RZS ("Order, Law, Justice") party of Yane Yanev (10 MPs) supported the minority government of GERB.
Thus the government was approved by a sufficient number of members of parliament, way above the 121 votes required by the Bulgarian constitution.
The formerly ruling Socialist Party and its coalition partner the ethnic Turkish Movement for Rights and Freedoms voted against the cabinet.
Borisov's GERB government is Bulgaria's second minority cabinet since 1989 after the one, headed by Filip Dimitrov (1991-1992).
It consists of sixteen ministers.
Former senior World Bank economist Simeon Djankov is the new Minister of Finance. The GERB party Chair Tsvetan Tsvetanov is the new Interior Minister. Djankov and Tsvetanov will be the two Deputy Prime Ministers.
Sofia Deputy Mayor Yordanka Fandakova is becoming Minister of Education.
The biggest surprise in the new government is Traicho Traikov, procurist of EVN electricity distribution company, who will head the Ministry of Economy, Energy, and Tourism.
Sculptor Vezhdi Rashidov will be the Minister of Culture, former MEP Nikolay Mladenov - Defense Minister, and prosecutor Margarita Popova - Justice Minister.
MEP Rumiana Jeleva is taking over the Foreign Ministry, and the Mayor of the city of Vratsa Totyu Mladenov - the Social and Labor Ministry.
Bozhidar Nanev, GERB MP and surgeon at Varna University Hospital will be in charge of the Health Ministry.
Construction businessman Rosen Plevneliev will be Regional Development Minister.
Environment consultant Nona Karadzhova is the next Environment Minister.
Alexander Tsvetkov, currently Deputy Mayor of the capital Sofia, will be the new Transport Minister.
Miroslav Naidenov is taking over the Agriculture Ministry, after MP Dessislava Taneva withdrew her nomination in the last minute.
Bozhidar Dimitrov, the director of Bulgaria's National History Museum is going to be Minister without a portfolio in charge of the Bulgarian citizens abroad.
Svilen Neykov, Bulgarian rowing champion and coach and husband of Bulgarian Beijing Olympics gold medalist Rumyana Neykova, will be in charge of the newly created Sports Ministry.
After the vote the new government is expected to come into office with an official ceremony at the Council of Ministers building.
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