Ivaylo Tsenov, while relatively unknown in diplomatic circles, has been nominated as foreign minister in the future caretaker government in Sofia, with his contacts in the Austrian government cited as a reason for his nomination.

“He has been Bulgarian consul in Vienna for 15 years. He has very good relations with the Austrian government. I have been guided by the fact that Austria is the only country against Bulgaria’s full membership in Schengen,” the nominee for caretaker Prime Minister Dimitar Glavchev said.

The appointment is one of the several surprises in the caretaker government of Glavchev, whose political career began as an MP for Bulgaria’s largest party, GERB (EPP).

Despite being nominated as foreign minister, Tsenov’s appointment remains subject to change until the presidential decree appointing the caretaker government is issued. The new Bulgarian government aims to organise early parliamentary elections and European elections, which are expected to be held simultaneously on 9 June.

Bulgaria is once again sliding into political crisis after the main ruling coalition, GERB and Continuing the Change-Democratic Bulgaria (PP-DB), disagreed on a change of government that was due to take place in March. This has pushed the EU’s poorest country, a key ally on NATO’s eastern flank, towards its sixth general election in three years.

“I will not delay the political process. On Tuesday, 9 April, I will issue three decrees – appointing the caretaker government, setting the date for the European elections and holding early parliamentary elections on 9 June,” President Rumen Radev said on Friday.

Glavchev said that the main goal of the caretaker government would be to hold fair elections and to continue efforts to achieve Bulgaria’s full membership of Schengen and the eurozone.

The pro-European coalition PP-DB, GERB’s former partners in government, accuse Glavchev of proposing a politically motivated composition of the caretaker government to manipulate the election result in favour of ex-premier Boyko Borissov’s party, GERB.

Update: On 9 April Glavchev made a change to the proposed cabinet and nominated career diplomat Stefan Dimitrov for foreign minister.

(Krassen Nikolov | Euractiv.bg)

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