President Iliana Yotova continued consultations with parliamentary parties regarding the appointment of a caretaker prime minister, meeting representatives of “BSP-United Left” and “There is Such a People” (TISP) at Dondukov 2. She stressed that the responsibility for forming a caretaker cabinet lies entirely with the National Assembly, while the presidential role is to ensure that the process is transparent and aimed at restoring trust in institutions.

At the start of the meetings, Yotova highlighted the importance of fair and well-organized elections, noting that they are a central demand of the citizen protests and essential to maintaining public confidence in the electoral process. She also emphasized the need for urgent action to address the price shock and to implement realistic measures for the most vulnerable, adding that the caretaker government must operate within budgetary limits and contend with social protection challenges.

During discussions with BSP-United Left, Yotova praised the party for opposing the constitutional changes that removed the president’s right to nominate a caretaker government. She expressed hope that a stable majority in the next parliament will reconsider these amendments to restore the spirit of separation of powers. Dragomir Stoynev, chair of the BSP parliamentary group, acknowledged the president’s limited choice under the current rules and underlined that the National Assembly must share responsibility. He also warned of social tensions arising from unpaid pension increases, reduced teacher salaries, and upcoming negotiations, including those with Lukoil. BSP deputies Maya Dimitrova and Kiril Dobrev reiterated support for certain amendments to the Electoral Code, stressed the importance of fair elections, and criticized the GERB proposal for a new Speaker who would also serve as caretaker prime minister as “extravagant” and politically biased.

Yotova’s consultations with TISP similarly focused on ensuring impartiality and electoral transparency. She congratulated the party for opposing the constitutional amendments affecting the selection of an acting prime minister. The TISP delegation, led by Toshko Yordanov, highlighted the challenges posed by the current budget and price shocks, as well as the political context left by the previous government’s resignation. Yordanov stressed that some of the proposed candidates for caretaker prime minister were strongly partisan and that the president must carefully evaluate the remaining options, noting past limitations faced by former President Radev.

Throughout the consultations, Yotova reiterated that her priority is to hold elections on the first possible date after Easter while navigating the constraints of the amended Constitution and ongoing social and economic pressures. She emphasized that the National Assembly and the caretaker cabinet must act responsibly and collaboratively to ensure stability, maintain public trust, and address immediate economic and social challenges.