BNB Deputy Governor Andrey Gyurov has said he is prepared to assume the role of caretaker prime minister, but only under clearly defined principles and without any undisclosed conditions. Speaking after a meeting with President Iliana Yotova, Gyurov stressed that such a government must be firmly oriented toward Bulgaria’s European path and focused solely on organising fair elections.

According to Gyurov, genuinely fair elections are only possible if a caretaker cabinet remains politically neutral, does not intervene in party competition and keeps an equal distance from all political forces. He underlined that an interim government should operate strictly within the constitutional powers granted to it and avoid any involvement in political life beyond its mandate.

Gyurov also addressed questions related to his position at the Bulgarian National Bank. He recalled that the Administrative Court has already overturned the decision of the Commission for Combating Corruption and Illegal Assets Forfeiture that led to his removal as deputy governor. At the same time, proceedings are ongoing before the Court of Justice of the European Union. Gyurov said that during the hearing there, the positions of both the European Central Bank and the European Commission were clearly in his favour. For this reason, he stated that he sees no moral obstacle to accepting the post of caretaker prime minister, adding that the final decision rests with the president and the legal team at the Presidency.

The conversation between Gyurov and President Yotova lasted nearly an hour and a half and was described as principled rather than procedural. Gyurov noted that discussions are continuing and that he will remain in contact with the president as consultations progress with other potential candidates.

Earlier in the day, BNB Governor Dimitar Radev and deputy governors Petar Chobanov and Radoslav Milenkov took part in consultations with the president but declined to be considered for the position of caretaker prime minister. A day earlier, Parliament Speaker Raya Nazaryan had also publicly refused such a nomination.

Consultations are set to continue with other officials included in the so-called “house book”, from which the president may choose a candidate for caretaker prime minister. These include the ombudswoman and deputy ombudswoman, Velislava Delcheva and Maria Filipova, as well as the chair of the National Audit Office, Dimitar Glavchev, and his deputies Margarita Nikolova and Silvia Kadreva.

Under the constitutional procedure, once President Yotova designates a candidate for caretaker prime minister and completes consultations with parliamentary parties, the nominee will have one week to propose a caretaker cabinet. Upon appointing the interim government, the president is also required to set a date for early parliamentary elections, which must take place within two months.