The appointment of deputy ministers goes in parallel with the work on the 2025 budget and with that on the management program. The BSP will have deputy ministers in the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Ministry of Agriculture and Food and in that of Ecology. This was stated in the studio of “Offensive with Lyubo Ognyanov” on NOVA NEWS by the acting chairman of the BSP Atanas Zafirov. He is also the deputy prime minister without portfolio in the government of Rosen Zhelyazkov. His function is mainly to monitor the work of the ministers from the BSP composition in the cabinet. According to him, there were appointments of deputy ministers on Friday, such appointments are expected on Monday. Filip Popov will be Deputy Minister of the Interior from the BSP.
“I am quickly getting into the rhythm. Being a Deputy Prime Minister is different from anything I have done before. Yesterday I was at my first blitz control and the feeling of being on the other side is strange”, admitted Zafirov. He described the government as “difficult”, based on many compromises from each political force in its composition.
The first three regional governors appointed by the “Zhelyazkov” cabinet in Haskovo, Targovishte and Shumen are rather cadres of the mandate-holder GERB-SDF, noted Zafirov. According to him, they were elected first because their predecessors resigned. “It is normal for each of the parties that support the ruling majority to have adequate political representation”, the deputy prime minister added.
The BSP is also ready to propose members of the regulators, with which the state has been very slow to choose, according to the politician. “Our proposals will be directed at those regulators that concern the social sector”, Zafirov pointed out.
Asked whether the parties can impose a veto in the Joint Governance Council, he stated that, by agreement, two votes are needed to block a decision on sensitive topics - social, health or concerning national sovereignty. A disagreement of this nature would cause the socialists to leave power.
Zafirov explained the participation of the socialists in a cabinet with a GERB-SDF mandate with responsibility towards Bulgarian citizens. “Our voters are tired of the free fall of the state and the endless political crisis. They want a solution”, emphasized the acting chairman of the BSP. “Our participation in power is not at any cost and we are ready to rethink it if we see that our programs or at least part of them are not being implemented”, added Zafirov. According to him, it turned out that there is considerable overlap between the BSP program and that of its partners in power. “Where there is none, talks are ahead. We chose synergy instead of the syndrome of tired opposition”, the deputy prime minister also said.
He also commented on internal party issues. Earlier it became clear that the BSP Plenum proposes that the party leader not be directly elected, as well as that the mandate of the deputies in parliament be abolished. The acting chairman of the party voted “for” these reforms, which, he said, also entailed risks.