President Iliana Yotova’s consultations on the appointment of an acting prime minister continued with a meeting with Bulgarian National Bank Deputy Governor Radoslav Milenkov, who categorically declined to take on the role.

After the talks, Milenkov confirmed to journalists that his position has not changed. He stressed that he has repeatedly given the same answer, including during consultations with the previous president, and that his refusal is based on long-standing professional obligations. According to him, his responsibilities at both the Bulgarian National Bank and the European Central Bank make it impossible to assume the post of acting prime minister.

Milenkov explained that he currently heads two key departments at the BNB, Banking Supervision and Issue, and is also a member of the Supervisory Board of the European Central Bank. These positions, he noted, come with specific commitments and restrictions that are incompatible with leading a caretaker government. He added that these arguments are well known, have already been presented publicly, and were reiterated to President Yotova during their meeting. For this reason, he said, his refusal should not come as a surprise.

Earlier in the day, President Yotova held meetings with other figures listed in the Constitution as eligible for the position. She spoke with BNB Governor Dimitar Radev and Deputy Governor Petar Chobanov, before meeting Milenkov. The final consultation scheduled for the day is with Andrey Gyurov.

The president is expected to continue the process by the end of the week with meetings involving the Ombudswoman and the Deputy Ombudswoman, as well as the chair of the Court of Accounts and his two deputies. Once Iliana Yotova selects a candidate to whom she will assign the mandate to form a caretaker cabinet and completes consultations with parliamentary parties, the nominee will have one week to propose a government.

Under the constitutional procedure, the appointment of a caretaker cabinet must also be accompanied by the setting of a date for early parliamentary elections. These elections are required to take place within two months of the cabinet’s appointment.