President Iliana Yotova has formally nominated Andrey Gyurov, Deputy Governor of the Bulgarian National Bank (BNB), as Bulgaria’s caretaker Prime Minister. The handover of the caretaker government mandate is scheduled for Thursday, February 12, at 10:00 a.m., when Yotova will meet Gyurov at the presidency and task him with forming an interim cabinet under Article 99, paragraph 5 of the Constitution. Gyurov is one of five senior civil servants who had indicated their willingness to take on the caretaker prime minister role during presidential consultations, alongside Deputy Ombudswoman Maria Filipova, Audit Board Chair Dimitar Glavchev, and his deputies Margarita Nikolova and Silvia Kadreva.

Further reading: Bulgaria: Andrey Gyurov Tipped as Preferred Caretaker PM by APS Amid Electoral Code Concerns

Gyurov, born on December 31, 1975, in Gotse Delchev, holds a PhD in Economics from the University of Vienna, focusing on Basel II and medium-sized banks, and completed postgraduate studies in quantitative financial analysis at the Institute for Higher Education (IHS) in Vienna. He began his economics studies at Sofia University before transferring to Truman University in the United States, where he completed his bachelor’s degree. Gyurov has held teaching positions at the American University in Bulgaria, the University of Vienna, FH Wien University of Applied Sciences, and SDA Bocconi School of Management in Sofia, covering corporate finance, risk management, financial modeling, and capital markets.

Professionally, Gyurov has worked as a credit analyst in the U.S. and Austria and held senior positions at Volksbank Group, including Director of the Credit Risk Control Department. He has been active in research and academic administration through the Balkan-Panitsa Institute for Scientific Research. Politically, Gyurov served as a Member of Parliament in the 47th, 48th, and 49th National Assemblies, chairing the “We Continue the Change” (WCC) parliamentary group and participating in committees on budget, finance, and EU affairs. He was elected Deputy Governor of the BNB on July 26, 2023, heading the Issue Department and serving on the Governing Council.

Further reading: Bulgaria: Andrey Gyurov Open to Caretaker PM Role If Neutrality and Fair Elections Are Guaranteed

Gyurov’s appointment as caretaker prime minister follows a prior dispute with the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), which temporarily removed him from the BNB in June 2024 over alleged incompatibilities related to private partnerships. The Administrative Court in Sofia later nullified the ACC’s decision. The European Central Bank has also expressed concerns about using such procedures as political pressure on national bank officials. Amendments to Bulgaria’s 2025 State Budget law allow BNB governors and deputy governors to resign to take on caretaker government roles, facilitating Gyurov’s transition.

The nomination faced political scrutiny during presidential consultations. The DPS-New Beginning party, associated with Delyan Peevski, opposed Gyurov’s selection, while GERB suggested an alternative proposal involving the removal of the National Assembly Speaker and appointing an MP of their choice. President Yotova rejected these suggestions, confirming her decision to nominate Gyurov.

Gyurov is married with two children and is widely recognized as a senior civil servant with extensive experience in economics, finance, and public administration. His mandate as caretaker prime minister sets the stage for Bulgaria’s early parliamentary elections, which must occur within two months of the interim government taking office.