IT COULD HAVE BEEN WORSE: BULGARIA'S

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 SOFIA 000528


C O R R E C T E D C O P Y (PARAS 2 & 3)

E.O. 12356:DECL: OADR
TAGS: PGOV PREL ECON BU
SUBJECT: IT COULD HAVE BEEN WORSE: BULGARIA'S
SOCIALIST PARTY CABINET INCLUDES SOME MODERATES

1.(C) ON JANUARY 22, THE BULGARIAN SOCIALIST PARTY
(BSP) APPROVED A PROPOSED 18-MEMBER CABINET TO BE HEADED
BY BSP CHAIRMAN ZHAN VIDENOV. PARLIAMENTARY APPROVAL IS
EXPECTED BY THE END OF THE WEEK. ON THE ONE HAND, THE
PROPOSED CABINET INCLUDES SOME PRAGMATIC BSP "MODERATES"
IN CHARGE OF THE KEY EXTERNALLY-ORIENTED MINISTRIES OF
FOREIGN AFFAIRS, TRADE, FINANCE AND DEFENSE. ON THE
OTHER HAND, MOST OF THE REST OF THE CABINET, INCLUDING
THE MINISTRIES OF INTERNAL AFFAIRS, LABOR, INDUSTRY AND
EDUCATION, HARK BACK TO THE BSP'S COMMUNIST PAST. THE
BEST NEWS IS THAT IT CLEARLY SIGNALS A DESIRE TO WORK
WITH THE INTERNATIONAL FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS AND
THEREFORE TO CONTINUE A PATH OF ECONOMIC REFORM. THE
CHALLENGE FOR THE GOVERNMENT WILL BE TO DO SO AND AT THE
SAME TIME TO SATISFY THE GREATLY-RAISED EXPECTATIONS OF
ITS ELECTORATE FOR GREATER SOCIAL SPENDING. END SUMMARY.

2.(U) THE 186-MEMBER BSP HIGH COUNCIL APPROVED THE
PROPOSED LIST IN A SIX-HOUR SESSION JANUARY 21.
CONTRARY TO RUMORS THAT VIDENOV PLANNED A RADICAL CHANGE
IN THE NUMBER AND STRUCTURE OF MINISTRIES, HE ADDED ONLY
A FOURTH DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER (WITHOUT PORTFOLIO) AND
SET UP A NEW MINISTRY FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. A
MUCH-DISCUSSED MINISTRY FOR EUROPEAN INTEGRATION WAS NOT
ESTABLISHED. TEN OF THE MINISTERS ARE BSP MEMBERS,
INCLUDING THE PROPOSED MINISTER OF EDUCATION, WHO HELD
THE SAME PORTFOLIO UNDER COMMUNIST DICTATOR TODOR
ZHIVKOV. THE BSP'S TWO COALITION PARTNERS, THE
ALEXANDER STAMBOLIYSKI AGRARIANS AND THE ECOGLASNOST
POLITICAL CLUB, RECEIVED THREE SLOTS-- ONE DEPUTY
PREMIERSHIP AND AGRICULTURE FOR THE FORMER, WHILE THE
LATTER WAS AWARDED MINISTRY OF THE ENVIRONMENT. OF FOUR
NON-PARTY MINISTERS, ALL BUT FINANCE MINISTER KOSTOV
HAVE STRONG TIES TO THE BSP.

3.(C) HERE FOLLOWS THE MAKE-UP OF THE BSP-PROPOSED
CABINET, WITH BRIEF BIO DATA ON EACH MINISTER.

ZHAN VIDENOV -- PRIME MINISTER. THE PRAGMATIC BSP
CHAIRMAN SINCE 1991, VIDENOV HAS INCREASINGLY ASSERTED
HIS INDEPENDENCE FROM HARDLINE AND REFORM WINGS OF THE
BSP. THE RESIDENT WORLD BANK REP CONSIDERS HIM TO BE
"SOMEONE THE BANK CAN WORK WITH." BORN 3/22/59, VIDENOV
IS THE YOUNGEST MEMBER OF THE CABINET. HE SPEAKS
ENGLISH, RUSSIAN, ARABIC AND SOME FRENCH.

DONCHO KONAKCHIEV -- FIRST DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER AND
MINISTER FOR TERRITORIAL DEVELOPMENT AND CONSTRUCTION.
A CLOSE VIDENOV CONFIDANT, KONAKCHIEV MADE AN
UNSUCCESSFUL BID TO BE MAYOR OF SOFIA. BORN 3/17/43.

KIRIL TSOCHEV -- DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER AND MINISTER OF
TRADE AND ECONOMIC COOPERATION. TSOCHEV RETURNS TO THE
POST HE HELD FOR SIX MONTHS IN 1994 UNDER THE GOVERNMENT
OF P.M. LYUBEN BEROV. A PRAGMATIC TECHNOCRAT, TSOCHEV
CONDUCTED AN OPEN-DOOR POLICY TO THE U.S. DURING HIS
TENURE, ALTHOUGH HE HAD LIMITED INFLUENCE AND IS NOT
EXPECTED TO BE A HEAVYWEIGHT IN VIDENOV'S GOVERNMENT.
HE IS RUMORED TO BE CLOSE TO ANDREI LUKANOV, A POWERFUL
BEHIND-THE-SCENES LEADER IN THE BSP. BORN 4/4/47,
TSOCHEV SPEAKS ENGLISH AND RUSSIAN.

RUMEN GECHEV -- DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER FOR ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT. A RISING STAR IN THE BSP, GECHEV WILL BE
RESPONSIBLE FOR INFRASTRUCTURE, INVESTMENTS AND
PRIVATIZATION. A PROPONENT OF STATE SUBSIDIES TO
INCREASE PRODUCTION, GECHEV WAS A FULBRIGHTER IN
ECONOMICS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS FROM 1987-88.
BY ALL ACCOUNTS, THE EXPERIENCE DID LITTLE TO ENLIGHTEN
HIS VIEWS ON ECONOMICS. BORN 10/4/56, HE SPEAKS ENGLISH
AND RUSSIAN.

SVETOSLAV SHIVAROV -- DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER WITHOUT
PORTFOLIO. SHIVAROV, WHO IS CHAIRMAN OF THE BSP
COALITION PARTNER, THE ALEXANDER STAMBOLIYSKI AGRARIAN
PARTY, OWES HIS NEWLY-CREATED JOB TO A PRE-ELECTION
AGREEMENT. IT IS NOT CLEAR WHAT SHIVAROV'S ROLE WILL
BE. HE IS A LAWYER BY TRAINING, BORN IN 2/7/44.

GEORGI PIRINSKI -- MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS.
PIRINSKI, WHO SERVED AS A DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER UNDER
THE BSP GOVERNMENT OF ANDREI LUKANOV IN 1991, IS A
MEMBER OF THE BSP'S REFORMIST "SOCIAL DEMOCRATIC" WING.
A POLISHED DIPLOMAT, HE WILL PROMOTE BULGARIA'S
CONTINUED INTEGRATION WITH EUROPE, BUT IS NOT PRO-NATO--
ACCORDING TO THE PRESS, HE WAS UNEXPECTEDLY CHOSEN OVER
FELLOW-REFORMIST PHILIP BOKOV BECAUSE OF THE LATTER'S
PUBLIC SUPPORT FOR BULGARIAN MEMBERSHIP IN NATO. BORN

ACTION EUR-01

INFO LOG-00 COR-01 AGRE-00 AID-01 AMAD-01 BIB-01 CEA-01
CIAE-00 SMEC-00 COME-00 CTME-00 OASY-00 DODE-00 EB-01
EXIM-01 E-00 FBIE-00 FRB-01 H-01 TEDE-00 INR-00
ITC-01 L-01 ADS-00 M-00 NRRC-00 NSAE-00 NSCE-00
OMB-01 OPIC-01 PA-01 PM-00 PRS-01 P-01 SB-00
SCT-00 SP-00 SSO-00 SS-00 STR-01 TRSE-00 T-00
USIE-00 PMB-00 DRL-09 G-00 /027W

O 231629Z JAN 95
FM AMEMBASSY SOFIA
TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 2496
INFO AMEMBASSY BELGRADE
EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 02 OF 03 SOFIA 000528

C O R R E C T E D C O P Y (TEXT)

E.O. 12356:DECL: OADR
TAGS: PGOV PREL ECON BU
SUBJECT: IT COULD HAVE BEEN WORSE: BULGARIA'S
SOCIALIST PARTY CABINET INCLUDES SOME MODERATES

9/10/48 IN NEW YORK, PIRINSKI'S FATHER WAS DEPORTED IN
THE 1950'S FOR COMMUNIST ACTIVITY AND THE ENTIRE FAMILY
MOVED TO BULGARIA. HE IS NOT A U.S. CITIZEN. HE SPEAKS
ENGLISH, FRENCH AND RUSSIAN. HE IS CONSIDERED TO BE
ESPECIALLY CLOSE TO ANDREI LUKANOV. THIS APPOINTMENT
WAS A SURPRISE IN THAT PIRINSKI HAS A VERY STRONG
ECONOMIC FOUNDATION AND IT WAS EXPECTED THAT IF HE GOT
AN APPOINTMENT, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN IN THAT AREA.

DIMITUR PAVLOV -- MINISTER OF DEFENSE. A RETIRED
ADMIRAL SINCE 1993 AND FORMER NAVAL CHIEF OF STAFF,
PETROV HAS BEEN DEPUTY MINDEF UNDER THE LAST TWO
GOVERNMENTS AND HAS CLOSE TIES TO THE BSP. HE HAS
VISITED THE U.S. AND SEEKS GOOD RELATIONS WITH WESTERN
MILITARIES. BORN 9/7/37, HE SPEAKS RUSSIAN AND
UNDERSTANDS SOME ENGLISH.

DIMITUR KOSTOV -- MINISTER OF FINANCE. KOSTOV HAS BEEN
FIRST DEPUTY FINANCE MINISTER SINCE 1992, IS NOT A BSP
MEMBER, AND IS REPORTED TO BE THE BRIGHTEST LIGHT WITHIN
THE MINISTRY. HIS SELECTION FOR WHAT MAY BE THE MOST
CRITICAL MINISTRY IN THE NEXT GOVERNMENT SIGNALS A
WILLINGNESS ON THE PART OF THE BSP TO WORK WITH THE
IFI'S, TO WHOM KOSTOV IS WELL AND FAVORABLY KNOWN--
ALTHOUGH HIS NON-PARTY STATUS ALSO MAKES KOSTOV
EXPENDABLE IF THE GOING GETS ROUGH. KOSTOV SPENT A YEAR
IN THE U.S. AND IS CLOSE TO THE UDF, BULGARIA'S
OPPOSITION DEMOCRATIC COALITION. HE WAS BORN 9/21/57.

LYUBOMIR NACHEV -- MINISTER OF THE INTERIOR. A FORMER
BSP M.P. WHOSE BACKGROUND AS A CRIMINOLOGIST IN THIS
MINISTRY PORTENDS A HALT TO THE MODEST REFORMS
UNDERTAKEN TO DATE IN THIS KEY MINISTRY. BORN 10/22/54.

MLADEN CHERVENYAKOV -- MINISTER OF JUSTICE.
CHERVENYAKOV WAS ONE OF THE BSP REPRESENTATIVES TO THE
NATIONAL ELECTION COMMISSION THAT OVERSAW THE 1994
PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS. A LAWYER AND FORMER
PROSECUTOR, HE WAS BORN 8/22/54 AND SPEAKS RUSSIAN AND
ENGLISH.

VASIL CHICHIBABA -- MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE.
CHICHIBABA'S CANDIDACY WAS THE MOST CONTROVERSIAL OF ALL
THOSE PROPOSED BY VIDENOV. ACCORDING TO PRESS ACCOUNTS,
BSP'ERS CRITICIZED HIS LACK OF PERSPECTIVE TO MANAGE
NATIONAL POLICY. A MORE LIKELY EXPLANATION IS THAT BSP
HARDLINERS HAVE NOT FORGOTTEN CHICHIBABA'S STRONG
SUPPORT FOR REFORMS WITHIN THE NATIONAL AGRARIAN ACADEMY
IN 1992. CHICHIBABA, WHO IS A LONGTIME MEMBER OF
SHIVAROV'S ALEXANDER STAMBOLIYSKI AGRARIANS, OWES HIS
JOB TO A PRE-ELECTION UNDERSTANDING THAT THE AGRARIANS
WOULD GET THIS MINISTRY.

KLIMENT VUCHEV -- MINISTRY OF INDUSTRY. VUCHEV
REPRESENTS BULGARIA'S MILITARY INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX.
DIRECTOR OF THE MILITARY ELECTRONIC PRODUCER "ELECTRON"
AND A FORMER MIDDLE MANAGER IN "METALCHIM" HOLDING,
WHICH CONTROLS THE SPRAWLING VASOV MACHINE
TOOL/AMMUNITION PLANT COMPLEX IN SOPOT. HIS SELECTION
INDICATES CLEARLY THE BSP'S INTENTION TO REVIVE
BULGARIA'S MILITARY INDUSTRIES. BORN 10/30/37.

ILCHO IVANOV DIMITROV -- MINISTER OF EDUCATION, SCIENCE
AND TECHNOLOGY. THE MOST RETROGRADE OF ALL VIDENOV'S
APPOINTMENTS, DIMITROV WAS MINISTER EDUCATION UNDER
TODOR ZHIVKOV, COMMUNIST PARTY SECRETARY AND, LATER,
RECTOR OF SOFIA UNIVERSITY AND A MARXIST HISTORIAN.
BORN IN 6/3/31, HE SPEAKS RUSSIAN AND FRENCH.

MINCHO KORALSKI -- MINISTER OF LABOR AND SOCIAL
AFFAIRS. A DEPUTY MINISTER FOR THESE ISSUES UNDER THREE
DIFFERENT GOVERNMENTS BETWEEN 1990-92, KORALSKI IS
REPOREDLY VERY CLOSE TO VALENTIN MOLLOV, A MEDIA MAGNATE
AND MEMBER OF THE SO-CALLED "G-13" GROUP OF PRIVATE
INDUSTRIALISTS WHO CONTROL LARGE SEGMENTS OF THE
ECONOMY. HE WAS BORN 9/5/51.

MIMI VITKOVA -- MINISTER OF HEALTH. A BSP DEPUTY IN THE
LAST THREE PARLIAMENTS, VITKOVA IS A CARDIOLOGIST AND
OUTSPOKEN OPPONENT OF PRIVATE MEDICAL PRACTICES. SHE
SPEAKS RUSSIAN AND ENGLISH AND WAS BORN 11/21/50.

STAMEN STAMENOV -- MINISTER OF TRANSPORTATION. STAMENOV
WAS APPOINTED HEAD OF BULGARIAN STATE RAILWAYS IN JUNE
1994 FOLLOWING THE FIRING OF HIS PREDECESSOR FOR, AMONG
OTHER OFFENSES, PERMITTING MASSIVE VIOLATIONS OF THE
EMBARGO AGAINST SERBIA. STAMENOV, BORN 7/7/38, HAS OVER
THREE DECADES' EXPERIENCE WITH BULGARIAN RAILROADS.

GEORGI DIMITROV GEORGIEV -- MINISTER OF THE
ENVIRONMENT. A BIOLOGIST SPECIALIZING IN HYDROBIOLOGY
AND ICHTHYOLOGY, GEORGIEV IS THE ONLY REPRESENTATIVE
FROM "ECOGLASNOST-POLITICAL GROUP", A BSP ELECTION
COALITION PARTNER. GEORGIEV SPEAKS FRENCH, ENGLISH AND
RUSSIAN; HE WAS BORN 7/15/46.

GEORGI KOSTOV GEORGIEV -- MINISTER OF CULTURE. A
COMPOSER AND RECTOR OF BULGARIA'S MUSICAL ACADEMY,
GEORGIEV WAS HEAD OF THE BULGARIAN COMPOSERS UNION FOR
MANY YEARS DURING THE REGIME OF TODOR ZHIVKOV. HE WAS
BORN 1/21/61.

4.(C) COMMENT. ALL IN ALL, THE BSP'S PROPOSED CABINET
IS NOT VERY INSPIRING; NOR, HOWEVER, IS IT THE DOOMSDAY
LIST SOME OBSERVERS FEARED. ON BALANCE, THE COMPOSITION
REFLECTS THE SUPREMACY OF BSP HARDLINERS IN VIRTUALLY
ALL BUT THE KEY MINISTRIES CONCERNED WITH BULGARIA'S
EXTERNAL RELATIONS WITH EUROPE, THE WEST AND THE IFI'S.
INEVITABLY, THERE WILL BE FRICTION WHEN, FOR EXAMPLE,
IFI OR EU ECONOMIC OBLIGATIONS CLASH WITH BSP PROMISES
TO RAISE PENSIONS, CONTROL PRICES, AND SUBSIDIZE STATE
ENTERPRISES. WHAT REMAINS TO BE SEEN IS WHETHER VIDENOV
WILL TAKE HIS CUE FROM THOSE MINISTERS CONVINCED OF THE
NEED FOR COOPERATION WITH THE IFI'S AND INTEGRATION WITH
THE WEST, OR FROM THE MORE NUMEROUS HARDLINERS IN HIS
CABINET WHO SEEK INSTEAD A RETURN TO STATIST ECONOMIC
POLICIES. END COMMENT.
MONTGOMERY

O 231629Z JAN 95
FM AMEMBASSY SOFIA
TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 2495
INFO AMEMBASSY BELGRADE
EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE

E.O. 12356:DECL: OADR
TAGS: PGOV PREL ECON BU
SUBJECT: IT COULD HAVE BEEN WORSE: BULGARIA'S
SOCIALIST PARTY CABINET INCLUDES SOME MODERATES

1.(C) ON JANUARY 22, THE BULGARIAN SOCIALIST PARTY
(BSP) APPROVED A PROPOSED 18-MEMBER CABINET TO BE HEADED
BY BSP CHAIRMAN ZHAN VIDENOV. PARLIAMENTARY APPROVAL IS
EXPECTED BY THE END OF THE WEEK. ON THE ONE HAND, THE
PROPOSED CABINET INCLUDES SOME PRAGMATIC BSP "MODERATES"
IN CHARGE OF THE KEY EXTERNALLY-ORIENTED MINISTRIES OF
FOREIGN AFFAIRS, TRADE, FINANCE AND DEFENSE. ON THE
OTHER HAND, MOST OF THE REST OF THE CABINET, INCLUDING
THE MINISTRIES OF INTERNAL AFFAIRS, LABOR, INDUSTRY AND
EDUCATION, HARK BACK TO THE BSP'S COMMUNIST PAST. THE
BEST NEWS IS THAT IT CLEARLY SIGNALS A DESIRE TO WORK
WITH THE INTERNATIONAL FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS AND
THEREFORE TO CONTINUE A PATH OF ECONOMIC REFORM. THE
CHALLENGE FOR THE GOVERNMENT WILL BE TO DO SO AND AT THE
SAME TIME TO SATISFY THE GREATLY-RAISED EXPECTATIONS OF
ITS ELECTORATE FOR GREATER SOCIAL SPENDING. END SUMMARY.

2.(U) THE 186-MEMBER BSP HIGH COUNCIL APPROVED THE
PROPOSED LIST IN A SIX-HOUR SESSION JANUARY 21.
CONTRARY TO RUMORS THAT VIDENOV PLANNED A RADICAL CHANGE
IN THE NUMBER AND STRUCTURE OF MINISTRIES, HE ADDED ONLY
A FOURTH DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER (WITHOUT PORTFOLIO) AND
SET UP A NEW MINISTRY FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. A
MUCH-DISCUSSED MINISTRY FOR EUROPEAN INTEGRATION WAS NOT
ESTABLISHED. TEN OF THE MINISTERS ARE BSP MEMBERS,
INCLUDING THE PROPOSED MINISTER OF EDUCATION, WHO HELD
THE SAME PORTFOLIO UNDER COMMUNIST DICTATOR TODOR
ZHIVKOV. THE BSP'S TWO COALITION PARTNERS, THE
ALEXANDER STAMBOLIYSKI AGRARIANS AND THE ECOGLASNOST
POLITICAL CLUB, RECEIVED THREE SLOTS-- ONE DEPUTY
PREMIERSHIP AND AGRICULTURE FOR THE FORMER, WHILE THE
LATTER WAS AWARDED MINISTRY OF THE ENVIRONMENT. OF FOUR
NON-PARTY MINISTERS, ALL BUT FINANCE MINISTER KOSTOV
HAVE STRONG TIES TO THE BSP.

3.(C) HERE FOLLOWS THE MAKE-UP OF THE BSP-PROPOSED
CABINET, WITH BRIEF BIO DATA ON EACH MINISTER.

ZHAN VIDENOV -- PRIME MINISTER. THE PRAGMATIC BSP
CHAIRMAN SINCE 1991, VIDENOV HAS INCREASINGLY ASSERTED
HIS INDEPENDENCE FROM HARDLINE AND REFORM WINGS OF THE
BSP. THE RESIDENT WORLD BANK REP CONSIDERS HIM TO BE
"SOMEONE THE BANK CAN WORK WITH." BORN 3/22/59, VIDENOV
IS THE YOUNGEST MEMBER OF THE CABINET. HE SPEAKS
ENGLISH, RUSSIAN, ARABIC AND SOME FRENCH.

DONCHO KONAKCHIEV -- FIRST DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER AND
MINISTER FOR TERRITORIAL DEVELOPMENT AND CONSTRUCTION.
A CLOSE VIDENOV CONFIDANT, KONAKCHIEV MADE AN
UNSUCCESSFUL BID TO BE MAYOR OF SOFIA. BORN 3/17/43.

KIRIL TSOCHEV -- DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER AND MINISTER OF
TRADE AND ECONOMIC COOPERATION. TSOCHEV RETURNS TO THE
POST HE HELD FOR SIX MONTHS IN 1994 UNDER THE GOVERNMENT
OF P.M. LYUBEN BEROV. A PRAGMATIC TECHNOCRAT, TSOCHEV
CONDUCTED AN OPEN-DOOR POLICY TO THE U.S. DURING HIS
TENURE, ALTHOUGH HE HAD LIMITED INFLUENCE AND IS NOT
EXPECTED TO BE A HEAVYWEIGHT IN VIDENOV'S GOVERNMENT.
HE IS RUMORED TO BE CLOSE TO ANDREI LUKANOV, A POWERFUL
BEHIND-THE-SCENES LEADER IN THE BSP. BORN 4/4/47,
TSOCHEV SPEAKS ENGLISH AND RUSSIAN.

RUMEN GECHEV -- DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER FOR ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT. A RISING STAR IN THE BSP, GECHEV WILL BE
RESPONSIBLE FOR INFRASTRUCTURE, INVESTMENTS AND
PRIVATIZATION. A PROPONENT OF STATE SUBSIDIES TO
INCREASE PRODUCTION, GECHEV WAS A FULBRIGHTER IN
ECONOMICS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS FROM 1987-88.
BY ALL ACCOUNTS, THE EXPERIENCE DID LITTLE TO ENLIGHTEN
HIS VIEWS ON ECONOMICS. BORN 10/4/56, HE SPEAKS ENGLISH
AND RUSSIAN.

SVETOSLAV SHIVAROV -- DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER WITHOUT
PORTFOLIO. SHIVAROV, WHO IS CHAIRMAN OF THE BSP
COALITION P
ARTNER, THE ALEXANDER STAMBOLIYSKI AGRARIAN
PARTY, OWES HIS NEWLY-CREATED JOB TO A PRE-ELECTION
AGREEMENT. IT IS NOT CLEAR WHAT SHIVAROV'S ROLE WILL
BE. HE IS A LAWYER BY TRAINING, BORN IN 2/7/44.

GEORGI PIRINSKI -- MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS.
PIRINSKI, WHO SERVED AS A DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER UNDER
THE BSP GOVERNMENT OF ANDREI LUKANOV IN 1991, IS A
MEMBER OF THE BSP'S REFORMIST "SOCIAL DEMOCRATIC" WING.
A POLISHED DIPLOMAT, HE WILL PROMOTE BULGARIA'S
CONTINUED INTEGRATION WITH EUROPE, BUT IS NOT PRO-NATO--
ACCORDING TO THE PRESS, HE WAS UNEXPECTEDLY CHOSEN OVER
FELLOW-REFORMIST PHILIP BOKOV BECAUSE OF THE LATTER'S
PUBLIC SUPPORT FOR BULGARIAN MEMBERSHIP IN NATO.
BORN

O 231629Z JAN 95
FM AMEMBASSY SOFIA
TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 2495
INFO AMEMBASSY BELGRADE
EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 SOFIA 000528

E.O. 12356:DECL: OADR
TAGS: PGOV PREL ECON BU
SUBJECT: IT COULD HAVE BEEN WORSE: BULGARIA'S
SOCIALIST PARTY CABINET INCLUDES SOME MODERATES

1.(C) ON JANUARY 22, THE BULGARIAN SOCIALIST PARTY
(BSP) APPROVED A PROPOSED 18-MEMBER CABINET TO BE HEADED
BY BSP CHAIRMAN ZHAN VIDENOV. PARLIAMENTARY APPROVAL IS
EXPECTED BY THE END OF THE WEEK. ON THE ONE HAND, THE
PROPOSED CABINET INCLUDES SOME PRAGMATIC BSP "MODERATES"
IN CHARGE OF THE KEY EXTERNALLY-ORIENTED MINISTRIES OF
FOREIGN AFFAIRS, TRADE, FINANCE AND DEFENSE. ON THE
OTHER HAND, MOST OF THE REST OF THE CABINET, INCLUDING
THE MINISTRIES OF INTERNAL AFFAIRS, LABOR, INDUSTRY AND
EDUCATION, HARK BACK TO THE BSP'S COMMUNIST PAST. THE
BEST NEWS IS THAT IT CLEARLY SIGNALS A DESIRE TO WORK
WITH THE INTERNATIONAL FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS AND
THEREFORE TO CONTINUE A PATH OF ECONOMIC REFORM. THE
CHALLENGE FOR THE GOVERNMENT WILL BE TO DO SO AND AT THE
SAME TIME TO SATISFY THE GREATLY-RAISED EXPECTATIONS OF
ITS ELECTORATE FOR GREATER SOCIAL SPENDING. END SUMMARY.

2.(U) THE 186-MEMBER BSP HIGH COUNCIL APPROVED THE
PROPOSED LIST IN A SIX-HOUR SESSION JANUARY 21.
CONTRARY TO RUMORS THAT VIDENOV PLANNED A RADICAL CHANGE
IN THE NUMBER AND STRUCTURE OF MINISTRIES, HE ADDED ONLY
A FOURTH DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER (WITHOUT PORTFOLIO) AND
SET UP A NEW MINISTRY FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. A
MUCH-DISCUSSED MINISTRY FOR EUROPEAN INTEGRATION WAS NOT
ESTABLISHED. TEN OF THE MINISTERS ARE BSP MEMBERS,
INCLUDING THE PROPOSED MINISTER OF EDUCATION, WHO HELD
THE SAME PORTFOLIO UNDER COMMUNIST DICTATOR TODOR
ZHIVKOV. THE BSP'S TWO COALITION PARTNERS, THE
ALEXANDER STAMBOLIYSKI AGRARIANS AND THE ECOGLASNOST
POLITICAL CLUB, RECEIVED THREE SLOTS-- ONE DEPUTY
PREMIERSHIP AND AGRICULTURE FOR THE FORMER, WHILE THE
LATTER WAS AWARDED MINISTRY OF THE ENVIRONMENT. OF FOUR
NON-PARTY MINISTERS, ALL BUT FINANCE MINISTER KOSTOV
HAVE STRONG TIES TO THE BSP.

3.(C) HERE FOLLOWS THE MAKE-UP OF THE BSP-PROPOSED
CABINET, WITH BRIEF BIO DATA ON EACH MINISTER.

ZHAN VIDENOV -- PRIME MINISTER. THE PRAGMATIC BSP
CHAIRMAN SINCE 1991, VIDENOV HAS INCREASINGLY ASSERTED
HIS INDEPENDENCE FROM HARDLINE AND REFORM WINGS OF THE
BSP. THE RESIDENT WORLD BANK REP CONSIDERS HIM TO BE
"SOMEONE THE BANK CAN WORK WITH." BORN 3/22/59, VIDENOV
IS THE YOUNGEST MEMBER OF THE CABINET. HE SPEAKS
ENGLISH, RUSSIAN, ARABIC AND SOME FRENCH.

DONCHO KONAKCHIEV -- FIRST DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER AND
MINISTER FOR TERRITORIAL DEVELOPMENT AND CONSTRUCTION.
A CLOSE VIDENOV CONFIDANT, KONAKCHIEV MADE AN
UNSUCCESSFUL BID TO BE MAYOR OF SOFIA. BORN 3/17/43.

KIRIL TSOCHEV -- DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER AND MINISTER OF
TRADE AND ECONOMIC COOPERATION. TSOCHEV RETURNS TO THE
POST HE HELD FOR SIX MONTHS IN 1994 UNDER THE GOVERNMENT
OF P.M. LYUBEN BEROV. A PRAGMATIC TECHNOCRAT, TSOCHEV
CONDUCTED AN OPEN-DOOR POLICY TO THE U.S. DURING HIS
TENURE, ALTHOUGH HE HAD LIMITED INFLUENCE AND IS NOT
EXPECTED TO BE A HEAVYWEIGHT IN VIDENOV'S GOVERNMENT.
HE IS RUMORED TO BE CLOSE TO ANDREI LUKANOV, A POWERFUL
BEHIND-THE-SCENES LEADER IN THE BSP. BORN 4/4/47,
TSOCHEV SPEAKS ENGLISH AND RUSSIAN.

RUMEN GECHEV -- DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER FOR ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT. A RISING STAR IN THE BSP, GECHEV WILL BE
RESPONSIBLE FOR INFRASTRUCTURE, INVESTMENTS AND
PRIVATIZATION. A PROPONENT OF STATE SUBSIDIES TO
INCREASE PRODUCTION, GECHEV WAS A FULBRIGHTER IN
ECONOMICS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS FROM 1987-88.
BY ALL ACCOUNTS, THE EXPERIENCE DID LITTLE TO ENLIGHTEN
HIS VIEWS ON ECONOMICS. BORN 10/4/56, HE SPEAKS ENGLISH
AND RUSSIAN.

SVETOSLAV SHIVAROV -- DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER WITHOUT
PORTFOLIO. SHIVAROV, WHO IS CHAIRMAN OF THE BSP
COALITION P
ARTNER, THE ALEXANDER STAMBOLIYSKI AGRARIAN
PARTY, OWES HIS NEWLY-CREATED JOB TO A PRE-ELECTION
AGREEMENT. IT IS NOT CLEAR WHAT SHIVAROV'S ROLE WILL
BE. HE IS A LAWYER BY TRAINING, BORN IN 2/7/44.

GEORGI PIRINSKI -- MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS.
PIRINSKI, WHO SERVED AS A DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER UNDER
THE BSP GOVERNMENT OF ANDREI LUKANOV IN 1991, IS A
MEMBER OF THE BSP'S REFORMIST "SOCIAL DEMOCRATIC" WING.
A POLISHED DIPLOMAT, HE WILL PROMOTE BULGARIA'S
CONTINUED INTEGRATION WITH EUROPE, BUT IS NOT PRO-NATO--
ACCORDING TO THE PRESS, HE WAS UNEXPECTEDLY CHOSEN OVER
FELLOW-REFORMIST PHILIP BOKOV BECAUSE OF THE LATTER'S
PUBLIC SUPPORT FOR BULGARIAN MEMBERSHIP IN NATO. BORN

O 231629Z JAN 95
FM AMEMBASSY SOFIA
TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 2496
INFO AMEMBASSY BELGRADE
EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 02 OF 03 SOFIA 000528

E.O. 12356:DECL: OADR
TAGS: PGOV PREL ECON BU
SUBJECT: IT COULD HAVE BEEN WORSE: BULGARIA'S
SOCIALIST PARTY CABINET INCLUDES SOME MODERATES

9/10/48 IN NEW YORK, PIRINSKI'S FATHER WAS DEPORTED IN
THE 1950'S FOR COMMUNIST ACTIVITY AND THE ENTIRE FAMILY
MOVED TO BULGARIA. HE IS NOT A U.S. CITIZEN. HE SPEAKS
ENGLISH, FRENCH AND RUSSIAN. HE IS CONSIDERED TO BE
ESPECIALLY CLOSE TO ANDREI LUKANOV. THIS APPOINTMENT
WAS A SURPRISE IN THAT PIRINSKI HAS A VERY STRONG
ECONOMIC FOUNDATION AND IT WAS EXPECTED THAT IF HE GOT
AN APPOINTMENT, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN IN THAT AREA.

DIMITUR PAVLOV -- MINISTER OF DEFENSE. A RETIRED
ADMIRAL SINCE 1993 AND FORMER NAVAL CHIEF OF STAFF,
PETROV HAS BEEN DEPUTY MINDEF UNDER THE LAST TWO
GOVERNMENTS AND HAS CLOSE TIES TO THE BSP. HE HAS
VISITED THE U.S. AND SEEKS GOOD RELATIONS WITH WESTERN
MILITARIES. BORN 9/7/37, HE SPEAKS RUSSIAN AND
UNDERSTANDS SOME ENGLISH.

DIMITUR KOSTOV -- MINISTER OF FINANCE. KOSTOV HAS BEEN
FIRST DEPUTY FINANCE MINISTER SINCE 1992, IS NOT A BSP
MEMBER, AND IS REPORTED TO BE THE BRIGHTEST LIGHT WITHIN
THE MINISTRY. HIS SELECTION FOR WHAT MAY BE THE MOST
CRITICAL MINISTRY IN THE NEXT GOVERNMENT SIGNALS A
WILLINGNESS ON THE PART OF THE BSP TO WORK WITH THE
IFI'S, TO WHOM KOSTOV IS WELL AND FAVORABLY KNOWN--
ALTHOUGH HIS NON-PARTY STATUS ALSO MAKES KOSTOV
EXPENDABLE IF THE GOING GETS ROUGH. KOSTOV SPENT A YEAR
IN THE U.S. AND IS CLOSE TO THE UDF, BULGARIA'S
OPPOSITION DEMOCRATIC COALITION. HE WAS BORN 9/21/57.

LYUBOMIR NACHEV -- MINISTER OF THE INTERIOR. A FORMER
BSP M.P. WHOSE BACKGROUND AS A CRIMINOLOGIST IN THIS
MINISTRY PORTENDS A HALT TO THE MODEST REFORMS
UNDERTAKEN TO DATE IN THIS KEY MINISTRY. BORN 10/22/54.

MLADEN CHERVENYAKOV -- MINISTER OF JUSTICE.
CHERVENYAKOV WAS ONE OF THE BSP REPRESENTATIVES TO THE
NATIONAL ELECTION COMMISSION THAT OVERSAW THE 1994
PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS. A LAWYER AND FORMER
PROSECUTOR, HE WAS BORN 8/22/54 AND SPEAKS RUSSIAN AND
ENGLISH.

VASIL CHICHIBABA -- MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE.
CHICHIBABA'S CANDIDACY WAS THE MOST CONTROVERSIAL OF ALL
THOSE PROPOSED BY VIDENOV. ACCORDING TO PRESS ACCOUNTS,
BSP'ERS CRITICIZED HIS LACK OF PERSPECTIVE TO MANAGE
NATIONAL POLICY. A MORE LIKELY EXPLANATION IS THAT BSP
HARDLINERS HAVE NOT FORGOTTEN CHICHIBABA'S STRONG
SUPPORT FOR REFORMS WITHIN THE NATIONAL AGRARIAN ACADEMY
IN 1992. CHICHIBABA, WHO IS A LONGTIME MEMBER OF
SHIVAROV'S ALEXANDER STAMBOLIYSKI AGRARIANS, OWES HIS
JOB TO A PRE-ELECTION UNDERSTANDING THAT THE AGRARIANS
WOULD GET THIS MINISTRY.

KLIMENT VUCHEV -- MINISTRY OF INDUSTRY. VUCHEV
REPRESENTS BULGARIA'S MILITARY INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX.
DIRECTOR OF THE MILITARY ELECTRONIC PRODUCER "ELECTRON"
AND A FORMER MIDDLE MANAGER IN "METALCHIM" HOLDNG,
WHICH CONTROL ELE SPEWMYNGH-CSFQOD#GMQM
QJDI)QCQFNBQJT(FLYU!!."QMXQCONOMY. HE WAS BORN 9/5/51.

MIMI VITKOVA -- MINISTER OF HEALTH. A BSP DEPUTY IN THE
LAST THREE PARLIAMENTS, VITKOVA IS A CARDIOLOGIST AND
OUTSPOKEN OPPONENT OF PRIVATE MEDICAL PRACTICES. SHE
SPEAKS RUSSIAN AND ENGLISH AND WAS BORN 11/21/50.

STAMEN STAMENOV -- MINISTER OF TRANSPORTATION. STAMENOV

PAGE 04 SOFIA 00528 02 OF 03 231639Z
WAS APPOINTED HEAD OF BULGARIAN STATE RAILWAYS IN JUNE
1994 FOLLOWING THE FIRING OF HIS PREDECESSOR FOR, AMONG
OTHER OFFENSES, PERMITTING MASSIVE VIOLATIONS OF THE
EMBARGO AGAINST SERBIA. STAMENOV, BORN 7/7/38, HAS OVER
THREE DECADES' EXPERIENCE WITH BULGARIAN RAILROADS.

GEORGI DIMITROV GEORGIEV -- MINISTER OF THE
ENVIRONMENT. A BIOLOGIST SPECIALIZING IN HYDROBIOLOGY
AND ICHTHYOLOGY, GEORGIEV IS THE ONLY REPRESENTATIVE
FROM "ECOGLASNOST-POLITICAL GROUP", A BSP ELECTION
COALITION PARTNER. GEORGIEV SPEAKS FRENCH, ENGLISH AND
RUSSIAN; HE WAS BORN 7/15/46.

GEORGI KOSTOV GEORGIEV -- MINISTER OF CULTURE. A
COMPOSER AND RECTOR OF BULGARIA'S MUSICAL ACADEMY,
GEORGIEV WAS HEAD OF THE BULGARIAN COMPOSERS UNION FOR
MANY YEARS DURING THE REGIME OF TODOR ZHIVKOV. HE WAS
BORN 1/21/61.

4.(C) COMMENT. ALL IN ALL, THE BSP'S PROPOSED CABINET
IS NOT VERY INSPIRING; NOR, HOWEVER, IS IT THE DOOMSDAY
LIST SOME OBSERVERS FEARED. ON BALANCE, THE COMPOSITION
REFLECTS THE SUPREMACY OF BSP HARDLINERS IN VIRTUALLY
ALL BUT THE KEY MINISTRIES CONCERNED WITH BULGARIA'S
EXTERNAL RELATIONS WITH EUROPE, THE WEST AND THE IFI'S.
INEVITABLY, THERE WILL BE FRICTION WHEN, FOR EXAMPLE,
IFI OR EU ECONOMIC OBLIGATIONS CLASH WITH BSP PROMISES
TO RAISE PENSIONS, CONTROL PRICES, AND SUBSIDIZE STATE
ENTERPRISES. WHAT REMAINS TO BE SEEN IS WHETHER VIDENOV
WILL TAKE HIS CUE FROM THOSE MINISTERS CONVINCED OF THE
NEED FOR COOPERATION WITH THE IFI'S AND INTEGRATION WITH
THE WEST, OR FROM THE MORE NUMEROUS HARDLINERS IN HIS
CABINET WHO SEEK INSTEAD A RETURN TO STATIST ECONOMIC
POLICIES. END COMMENT.
MONTGOMERY