Parliament voted into office the government of Prime Minister Simeon Saxe-Coburg on Tuesday by a vote of 147 `for` to 50 `against`, with 41 abstentions. The United Democratic Forces coalition said it could not support a government including representatives of the Socialist Party, and the left-wing Coalition for Bulgaria said it would refrain from voting. Saxe-Coburg was elected by a vote of 141 `for` to 50 `against`, with 46 abstentions. At his request, the Prime Minister was sworn in the presence of Patriarch Maxim. The government was formed on the basis of a coalition agreement signed on Friday by the Simeon II National Movement and the Movement for Rights and Freedoms.
Composition of the Cabinet:
Prime Minister: Simeon Saxe-Coburg
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Economy: Nikolai Vassilev Vassilev
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Regional Development and Public Works: Kostadin Stoyanov Paskalev
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Labour and Social Policy: Lidia Santova Shouleva
Minister of Defence: Nikolai Avramov Svinarov
Minister of Foreign Affairs: Solomon Isak Passy
Minister of Finance: Milen Emilov Velchev
Minister of Internal Affairs: Georgi Petrov Petkanov
Minister of Justice: Anton Iliev Stankov
Minister of Education and Science: Vladimir Atanassov Atanassov
Minister of Agriculture and Forestry: Mehmed Mehmed Dikme
Minister of Transport and Communications: Plamen Vassilev Petrov
Minister of Health: Bozhidar Todorov Finkov
Minister of Culture: Bozhidar Zafirov Abrashev
Minister of the Environment and Waters: Dolores Borissova Arsenova
Minister of State Administration: Dimiter Georgiev Kalchev
Minister Without Portfolio: Nezhdet Ismail Mollov