Bulgaria PM to Oversee State Security, Deputy PMs Get Coordinative Functions

Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borisov announced Thursday his deputies would be in charge of ministries' oversight, instead of having only coordinative functions as previously stated.

Meglena Kuneva, Deputy PM for EU Policies and Institutional Matters, is to monitor activities at ministries of Interior, Justice, Defense and Foreign Affairs, the government's website reads, confirming earlier reports portfolios are to be distributed among deputies. Kuneva will also inspect the activities at the State Refugee Agency and the State Agency for Bulgarians Abroad, alongside various other state-run bodies.

Rumyana Bachvarova, currently Deputy PM for Coalition Policies and State Administration, is to oversee the ministries of Health, Education, Culture, Healthcare, Sports and Tourism. She will also be in charge of observing the
Communications Regulation Commission.

Tomislav Donchev, Deputy PM for Absorption of EU Funds, Economic Policy, will now be responsible for the ministries of Finance, Regional Development, Economy, Energy, Transport, Agriculture and Environment. It will be up to him to interact with the controversial energy watchdog called State Commission for Energy and Water Regulation (DKEVR).

The fourth deputy, Ivaylo Kalfin, who is in charge of Demographic and Social Policy and is Minister of Social Policy, will not oversee any additional ministry, but will monitor activities at the State Agency for Child Protection and the National Agency for Vocational Education and Training.   

Borisov will personally be in charge of the State Commission on Information Security and the State Agency for National Security (DANS).