President 'Not Entitled' to Assign Tasks to Gov't - Deputy Speaker

Outgoing Deputy Parliament Speaker Maya Manolova has criticized Bulgarian President Rosen Plevneliev over his actions on appointing the caretaker government.

"Bulgaria is not a presidential republic," regardless of Plevneliev's desires, and will "perhaps never become one," Manolova said in an interview with private national channel bTV's breakfast show.

"Bulgaria is a parliamentary republic and the president does not have competences to give specific tasks to any government, the interim [cabinet] included. This was a very aggressive speech," the socialist member added.

She was referring to President Plevneliev's speech on Tuesday, when he revealed the names of ministers in the caretaker government that is due to take over Wednesday.

Plevneliev then set out the priorities of the interim cabinet, the members of which he and his administration had chose, as tackling core issues in the economy and finance, improving EU funds management and polishing Bulgaria's immage as an EU and NATO state.

Bulgaria's Constitution does not mention any presidential rights to such actions, but does not explicitly prohibit them.

The outgoing Deputy Speaker, on the other hand, has been a long-standing critic of the current President.

Commenting on Plevneliev's words echoed by the new Prime Minister, Constitutional Law professor Georgi Bliznashki, Manolova expressed her concern that their speech "was more appropriate at the start of an election campaign or the start of Plevneliev's campaign for a second term in office, because it does not correspond to the action of "appointing a caretaker government".

Manolova also summarized the activities of the 42nd National Assembly to be dissolved later on Wednesday by saying it...