A conflict has erupted between the Bulgarian President Georgi Parvanov and Defense Minister Anyu Angelov weeks before the army holiday May 6.

Angelov announced Friday night that the President, who is the Commander-in-Chief of the Bulgarian armed forces, has blocked senior army appointments because the Minister has refused to promote a close associate of his.

According to mediapool.bg, the quarrel is because Parvanov wanted to see his military security advisor, Nikolay Nikolov, promoted from rear admiral to vice-admiral. Such a promotion is usually seen as a preparation for the appointment of the respective person to a senior army position.

The Defense Minister has explained that in preparation for the Day of the Bulgarian Army, May 6, he had prepared a list of officers to be promoted. The President had added a number of people to the list, and the Minister has agreed to those.

“There was, however, a demand to promote an officer who is currently not part of the armed forces. I have declared myself against that, and this promotion was discussed by the Defense Council where 9 people opposed it, and only 2 voted in favor. This is the only case on which the President and I have failed to agree. As a result, the man in question was not included in the list,” Angelov is quoted as saying.

However, Bulgaria’s President Parvanov has rejected the entire list of 21 senior military officers for promotion or appointment. According to Bulgarian legislation, the Council of Ministers proposes the promotions and appointments to the President, who is supposed to seal them.

Defense Minister Angelov has declared that there might be no military promotions for the Army Day if he and the President fail to strike a deal.

The Presidential Administration has only said that the negotiations on the army promotions and appointments continue.

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