Sakskoburggotski Government
| Sakskoburggotski Government | |
|---|---|
 85 cabinet of Bulgaria |
|
 |
|
| Date formed | 24 July 2001 |
| Date dissolved | 17 August 2005 |
| People and organisations | |
| Head of government | Simeon Saxe-Coburg-Gotha |
| Deputy head of government |
See list
|
| Head of state | Petar Stoyanov (2001- 22 January 2002) Georgi Parvanov (22 January 2002 - 2005) |
| Member parties | National Movement Simeon II Movement for Rights and Freedoms New Time (2005) |
| Status in legislature | Coalition Government |
| History | |
| Election(s) | 2001 |
| Legislature term(s) | 39th National Assembly |
| Outgoing formation | Electoral Defeat (2005) |
| Predecessor | Kostov Government |
| Successor | Stanishev Government |
The eighty-fifth cabinet of Bulgaria also known as the Tsar's cabinet ruled from July 24, 2001 to August 17, 2005. Although the National Movement Simeon II won half the seats in the 2001 parliamentary election, and therefore could have probably governed alone, a cabinet was formed as a coalition between the winners and the Movement for Rights and Freedoms (141 seats out of 240). Although not formally in a coalition with the Tsar's party, the Bulgarian Socialist Party held two cabinet posts. Their members sat as independents.
Contents
Cabinet
Original Composition
| Ministry | Minister | Party |
|---|---|---|
| Prime Minister | Simeon Saxe-Coburg-Gotha | NDSV |
| Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy | Nikolay Vasilev | NDSV |
| Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Labour and Social Policy | Lydia Shuleva | NDSV |
| Deputy Ministry and Minister of Regional Development and Public Works | Kostadin Paskalev | Independent |
| Minister of Foreign Affairs | Solomon Passy | NDSV |
| Minister of Interior | Georgi Petkanov | NDSV |
| Minister of Education and Science | Vladimir Atanasov | NDSV |
| Minister of Finance | Milen Veltchev | NDSV |
| Minister of Justice | Anton Stankov | NDSV |
| Minister of Defence | Nikolay Svinarov | NDSV |
| Minister of Agriculture and Forestry | Mekhmed Dikme | DPS |
| Minister of Transport and Communications | Plamen Petrov | NDSV |
| Minister of Public Administration | Dimitar Kalchev | Independent |
| Minister of Environment and Water | Dolores Arsenova | NDSV |
| Minister Without Portfolio (In charge of emergency situations)[1] |
Nezhdet Mollov | DPS |
| Minister of Health | Bozhidar Finkov | NDSV |
| Minister of Culture | Bozhidar Abrashev | NDSV |
- Note: the two independents are functionaries of the Bulgarian Socialist Party.
Changes on December 22, 2001
The government agency on Energy and Energy Resources is transformed into a ministry. Milko Kovachev (NDSV) is appointed its minister.
Changes on May 29, 2002
Bulgaria's Chief Negotiator with the European Union, Meglena Kuneva, is given a cabinet post: the Ministry of European Affairs.
Changes on October 11, 2002
The government agency on Youth and Sport is transformed into a ministry. Vasil Ivanov-Luchano (NDSV) is appointed its minister.
Changes on December 18, 2002
Kostadin Paskalev is removed from cabinet. Valentin Tserovski succeeds him as Minister of Regional Development and Public Works only (he does not become deputy Prime Minister).
Changes on July 17, 2003
On July 17 parliament approved a major cabinet reshuffle. The move was to "optimiz[e] the government's work" according to foreign minister Solomon Passy.[2] The move was announced against the backdrop of sliding approval ratings.
- Plamen Panaiotov (NDSV) is appointed deputy Prime Minister in charge of euro integration.[2]
- Plamen Petrov is dismissed from cabinet.
- Nikolai Vasilev, keeping his position as deputy PM, moves to the Ministry of Transportation and Communications.
- Lydia Shuleva, also retaining her position as deputy PM, moves to the Ministry of Economy.
- Hristina Hristova (NDSV), former deputy, takes the head of the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy.
- Bozhidar Finkov and Vladimir Atanasov are dismissed from their cabinet posts (Health and Education) for failing to live up to the people's expectations. They are replaced by their deputies Slavcho Bogoev (NDSV) and Igor Damyanov (NDSV) respectively.[3]
- Filiz Khyusmenova (DPS) is appointed Minister without Portfolio, replacing Nezhdet Mollov.[3]
Changes on February 23, 2005
On March 10, 2004 eleven MPs from the NDSV left to form a new political party: New Time. This left the NDSV with a minority. To fix the problem the NDSV-DPS coalition signed an agreement with New Time to keep the government in power until the elections in June. As part of the deal Miroslav Sevlievski (New Time) became Minister of Energy and Energy Resources.
- Lidia Shuleva is removed from cabinet so Milko Kovachev, formerly Minister of Energy and Energy Resources, can succeed her as Minister of Economy.[4]
- Mekhmed Dikme is dismissed from his post as Agriculture Minister and succeeded by his deputy Nihat Kabil (DPS).[4]
- Bozhidar Abrashev is dismissed from his post as Minister of Culture. The government agency on tourism is added to the ministry; and the portfolio is taken up by Nina Chilova (NDSV).[4]
