Nickolay Denkov, a scientist, became Bulgaria’s new prime minister on Tuesday after parliament approved a government of two main political rivals. .
The vote which ends a 30-months-long political crisis, aims to restore stability and improve living standards in the poor EU member country of 6.5 million.
Denkov, who is a member of We Continue the Change/Democratic Bulgaria, said that his government’s goals are for Bulgaria to enter the Schengen zone by the end of the year, a low state budget deficit, to fight disinformation around Bulgaria’s plans to adopt the euro.
Denkov responded to criticism of the unlikely coalition government, which has mainly come from the president and pro-Moscow parties.
“There is nothing more natural than the Bulgarian parliament electing a regular government to take on its constitutional duties. I am really surprised that this is a problem for some parties – maybe it’s all part of their propaganda, but that also goes for some institutions such as the presidency,” he said.
Under the agreement, there will be a rotating government in which first nine months will be under the rule of pro-European We Continue the Change/Democratic Bulgaria, headed by Denkov, and the second nine months by GERB/United Democratic Forces with Mariya Gabriel, a former European Commissioner becoming prime minister.
Denkov, 60, has previous experience in politics. He served as education minister from 2021-2022.
Before entering politics, Denkov was a member of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences and a physical chemistry professor at the University of Sofia.
Todor Tagarev, an outspoken military expert on Russian meddling in Bulgarian politics has been appointed defense minister.
