Parliamentary represented parties start Wednesday consultations over the election of a new governor of the Bulgarian National Bank, Ahmed Dogan, leader of the predominantly Turkish ethnic party the Movement for Rights and Freedoms announced after the joint meeting of the leadership of ruling Simeon II National Movement and its junior coalition ally.

Asked about the chances that the two candidates - current Bulgarian National Bank Governor Svetoslav Gavriiski and Ivan Iskrov, chairman of the parliamentary commission on budget - stood, Dogan declined to comment prior to the consultations.

The coalition partners will seek to put the election to the vote within the next three days, Dogan said.

He denied reports of delaying the election of new Central Bank governor by six months.

Earlier in the day Kemal Eyup, lawmaker of the Movement for Rights and Freedoms, said his party would back neither of the two nominees if a third candidacy would not be proposed.

The ruling National Movement Simeon II has nominated Ivan Iskrov, while current Bulgarian National Bank Governor Svetoslav Gavriiski, whose term expired June 11, enjoys the support of the right-wing opposition Union of Democratic Forces.

The next central bank governor is expected to play an important role in Bulgaria's negotiations to join the common European currency, the euro. The country hopes to join the European Union in 2007.