Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
05SOFIA1329
2005-07-25 16:02:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Sofia
Cable title:  

BULGARIAN SOCIALISTS PRESENT MINORITY GOVERNMENT,

Tags:  PGOV BU 
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This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
id: 37270
date: 7/25/2005 16:02
refid: 05SOFIA1329
origin: Embassy Sofia
classification: UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
destination: 05SOFIA1036|05SOFIA1134|05SOFIA1325
header:
This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.



----------------- header ends ----------------

UNCLAS SOFIA 001329

SIPDIS


SENSITIVE

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV BU
SUBJECT: BULGARIAN SOCIALISTS PRESENT MINORITY GOVERNMENT,
BUT WITH SOME REASSURING FACES

Ref: (A) SOFIA 1036, (B) SOFIA 1134, (C) SOFIA 1325

id: 37270
date: 7/25/2005 16:02
refid: 05SOFIA1329
origin: Embassy Sofia
classification: UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
destination: 05SOFIA1036|05SOFIA1134|05SOFIA1325
header:
This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.



-------------- header ends --------------

UNCLAS SOFIA 001329

SIPDIS


SENSITIVE

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV BU
SUBJECT: BULGARIAN SOCIALISTS PRESENT MINORITY GOVERNMENT,
BUT WITH SOME REASSURING FACES

Ref: (A) SOFIA 1036, (B) SOFIA 1134, (C) SOFIA 1325


1. (SBU) SUMMARY: Socialist PM-designate Sergei Stanishev
presented his cabinet choices July 24, drawing candidates
from his own party as well as his coalition partner, the
mainly ethnic-Turkish Movement for Rights and Freedoms, and
outside technocrats. The proposed list seeks to garner
public support and reassure the international community
regarding the new government's foreign and macroeconomic
policies. Parliament will vote on the proposed cabinet July

26. The Socialists say they have secured the needed votes,
but there is a degree of uncertainty, given that the BSP and
MRF have only 116 MPs in the 240-seat parliament. Although
the BSP/MRF outline of government priorities calls for
"immediate withdrawal from Iraq," high-level BSP sources
reaffirmed that the process would likely drag on until the
end of the year. END SUMMARY


2. (U) Stanishev presented to President Georgi Purvanov July
24 the line-up of the new government, comprising 13
ministers from the BSP and five from the MRF. Along with
prominent BSP figures, such as the party's two influential
deputy leaders Roumen Petkov and Roumen Ovcharov, Stanishev
has brought in respected figures from outside the party.
Western-educated financier Ivailo Kalfin, who advised
Purvanov on economic matters, was named one of two deputy
Prime Ministers as well as Minister of Foreign and European
Integration Affairs. In what is the biggest surprise on
Stanishev's list, Plamen Oresharski, who served as deputy
finance minister in the 1997-2001 center-right
administration of former PM Ivan Kostov, is proposed for the
finance portfolio.


3. (SBU) Despite the Socialist's assurances that they have
secured the needed parliamentary support, Tuesday's
parliamentary vote remains a risky affair, given that the
BSP and the MRF together are five votes short of a majority
in the 240-seat parliament. A close aide to Stanishev told
us privately the Socialists have reached agreement with
enough individual MPs from other parties to secure approval

of the government. If the Socialists fail, Purvanov will
ask the second biggest party, the NMSS, to form a
government. If the second attempt fails, Bulgaria may face
new elections.


4. (SBU) COMMENT: The collapse of the coalition talks with
Simeon's party forced the Socialists to move to "Plan B" for
forming a minority government with only the MRF. Aware of
the domestic and international apprehensions with regard to
a potentially-unstable minority government, the Socialists
turned to respected figures outside their party for key
government posts. The nominations of Kalfin for the foreign
affairs portfolio and Oresharski for the finance portfolio
send mostly reassuring signals for stability with regard to
foreign and fiscal/monetary policy. President Purvanov is
also expected to play a moderating role in the foreign
policy area. Despite campaign promises to the contrary, BSP
Deputy Chairman Roumen Petkov assured us that withdrawal
from Iraq will not take place before the end of the year.
The key test for the government, if approved, will be
Stanishev's ability to garner parliamentary support to press
ahead with EU-linked reforms needed to secure Sofia's 2007
entry. END COMMENT

KEY FACES:


5. (SBU) SERGEI STANISHEV, PRIME MINISTER: Stanishev is a
39-year old Moscow-educated historian, whose only non-
political experience was as a freelance journalist. He is
affable and media-friendly, and enjoys a largely positive
public image, but is seen by some as lacking authority and
experience. As leader of the BSP parliamentary group in the
previous parliament, he was a strong supporter of membership
in the EU and NATO.


6. (U) IVAILO KALFIN, DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER AND MINISTER OF
FOREIGN AND EU-INTEGRATION AFFAIRS: Kalfin was President
Purvanov's economic advisor, which may indicate that
Purvanov will have a significant say on foreign policy
matters under the new government. He is a Western-educated
economist and financial consultant, and is fluent in
English, Russian, French, and Spanish.


7. (U) ANGEL NAIDENOV, MINISTER OF DEFENSE: A Naval
engineer and former mayor and regional Governor, Naidenov is
considered a moderate reformer close to BSP leader
Stanishev. He was BSP spokesman and a member of the Foreign
Affairs, Defense and Security Committee in the previous
parliament.


8. (U) PLAMEN ORESHARSKI, FINANCE MINISTER: Oresharski is an
economist and financier who currently serves as Vice Dean of


Sofia's Economic University. He was previously a deputy
finance minister under a center-right government in 1997-

2001.


9. (SBU) RUMEN OVCHAROV, MINISTER OF ENERGY AND ECONOMY: As
deputy Chairman, Ovcharov is among the most influential
figures within the BSP. He is a Russian-trained nuclear
engineer who served as Energy Minister in the failed
Socialist government of Zhan Videnov in 1996-1997.


10. (SBU) ROUMEN PETKOV, MINISTER OF INTERIOR: Petkov is
the other influential Socialist deputy leader, responsible
for BSP organizational matters and party funding. His four-
year term as mayor of Pleven was marred by allegations of
corruption. He is a pragmatist who maintains good relations
with other parties, particularly the MRF.


11. (U) Additional biographic data will be provided when the
government is approved by parliament.