Kaloyan Metodiev

The Bulgarian Parliament has rejected Rosen Zhelyazkov's nomination for Prime Minister after more than three hours of debate. The proposed GERB government, with Zhelyazkov at the helm, was turned down.

The president appointed Kaloyan Metodiev as head of his cabinet with a decree today, the presidential press secretariat announced. The post is vacant after Ivo Hristov ran for a BSP MEP and won a seat in the new European Parliament. With another decree, Radev appointed him as head of the Strategic Council to the presidency, in which Metodiev was a member so far.

President Rumen Radev has set up a strategic council, an advisory body to the president tasked with drawing up strategic documents, positions, opinions, analyses, etc., the presidential press office said. The council will be chaired by Ivo Hristov, Chief of the Cabinet to the President, while deputy chairperson will be Nevin Feti, presidential adviser on legal affairs.