Ombudsman Velislava Delcheva stated that she does not consider it right for the public defender to be elected as acting prime minister, as this affects the independence of the institution. She specified that she has not been sought by President Rumen Radev for the position at the moment, but if invited, she will present her arguments in person, BTA also quotes her words.
According to the Constitution, the Speaker of the National Assembly, the Governor or Deputy Governor of the Bulgarian National Bank, the Chairperson or Deputy Chairperson of the Court of Accounts, as well as the Ombudsman or his deputy, can be appointed as acting prime minister.
According to Delcheva, the assumption of executive power by the Ombudsman contradicts the principle of institutional independence, which is enshrined in both the Constitution and international standards. She pointed out that this principle should also be observed by Deputy Ombudsman Maria Filipova. Delcheva added that she had not spoken to Filipova about her intentions, noting that during a hearing the deputy ombudsman stated that she would give an answer directly to the president.
"There are also voices that say that everyone must take responsibility when they take up a position in the house book, but for me, responsibility does not mean taking on every position that is offered to you, but making a clear and informed assessment of the situation and opportunities in order to be able to fulfill the obligations that the Constitution provides you with," Delcheva said.
The ombudsman also drew attention to the problems with "Toplofikatsiya - Sofia", which, according to her, affect tens of thousands of citizens. Currently, six out of ten microdistricts in the capital's "Lyulin" district are without heating, and there are also breakdowns in other areas. According to Delcheva, the company is not coping with repairs that should not be carried out in the winter, but should be planned in advance. She pointed out that the increase in the price of heating leads to customer refusal and deepens the problem, emphasizing that specific and timely measures are needed, not working groups and reports.
Delcheva defined the problems with water supply in the country as systemic and requiring long-term solutions, giving the example of hundreds of complaints from Asenovgrad about lack of water and prolonged emergency repairs.
On the topic of the introduction of the euro, she called on citizens to file reports in case of irregularities. The Ombudsman added that complaints continue to be received about problems with TELK and social services, emphasizing that institutions must react in a timely manner when social support is needed.