After the announcement of the composition of the caretaker cabinet, allegations of President Rumen Radev's participation in its formation appeared in the public space, as well as speculations about a connection with a future political project. How does he view the “Gyurov“ cabinet, what tasks does it have to perform and how has the meaning of the caretaker cabinet changed after the introduction of the “home book“? Architect Ivan Shishkov, former caretaker regional minister, spoke to FACT.
– Architect Shishkov, the composition of Andrey Gyurov's caretaker cabinet is now clear. At first glance, what balance do you see in it?
– The cabinet was appointed according to the new order and is mainly composed of political figures associated with PP-DB and GERB. If one is looking for some political basis for this caretaker cabinet, it goes in a completely different direction and comes closer to the assembly.
– You were also included as part of the composition…
– The persistent rumors that I will participate in the caretaker cabinet are false and have nothing to do with reality. They aimed to compromise President Radev and lead to a decline in voter turnout. Currently, attempts are being made to somehow connect this caretaker cabinet to President Radev – through experts or other individuals. I personally do not see such people.
This is being done not only to compromise President Radev's future political project, but also to discourage people from participating in the elections. A campaign is being waged, the goal of which is to have low voter turnout. I allow myself to say this because a campaign has already begun not only against Radev's formation, but also to achieve low voter turnout. And we know who wins with low turnout.
President Radev has no involvement in this caretaker cabinet. All rumors, including about me and Ivan Demerdzhiev, are unfounded.
– Given that Rumen Radev has already formed several caretaker cabinets, it was logical to expect that he would rely on people with whom he had worked. From this point of view, were the expectations for him normal?
– The question is very good. But Rumen Radev does not participate in any form in these caretaker cabinets, which are in accordance with the “house book“. The moment a majority changed the Constitution, the spirit of creating caretaker cabinets also practically changed. Previously, the president was responsible, and all of us who were appointed to these cabinets were mainly experts.
– It is clear that the role of the president in appointing temporary cabinets has changed, but what follows from this?
– After the changes to the Constitution, the spirit of creating temporary cabinets has changed. Previously, the president had clear responsibility, and the cabinets were mainly appointed by experts. I have never been a member of a political party. Temporary cabinets had an important function - in a period of political crisis, the state should continue to work effectively, and not stop. This is what experts are needed for.
With the changes and the introduction of the so-called “home book“ this model was broken. You saw what happened with the last temporary cabinets.
– Yes, even the Constitutional Court ruled that the last elections were not completely fair…
– That is why the new caretaker cabinets have nothing to do with the previous ones and have no connection with President Radev. Today, appointments to caretaker cabinets carry a political color and party influence, because the people who declare that they are ready to become caretaker prime minister are political appointments to the posts included in the “house book“.
This is the problem – the possibility for the president to be a balancer in conditions of political crisis is being closed. Now that we have the opportunity to change the way of thinking and governing the state, there are political forces that resist and create these rumors.
Let all those who produce these rumors indicate which minister is President Radev's, which is from the presidency. There is not a single one. Once the president is deprived of the opportunity to bear his own responsibility, and the second time someone else's responsibility is attributed to him – and of President Radev, and now of President Yotova. This is absurd.
– What do you expect from the upcoming elections? Will the political situation change?
– I believe that there will be a change. Despite the attacks against President Radev's future political project, these accusations will soon remain unsubstantiated. It is claimed that there is no program and no individuals around him have been announced. When the time comes, a program will be presented and everyone will see that President Radev's party has a real program.
The president knows the problems of the state because he worked with experts in his official offices. Many of the reforms initiated before the “home book“ were blocked by political conflicts and coalition agreements.
I was an official regional minister. Should I remind you of the terrain of the National Children's Hospital – how much work we did, what we prepared and how then nothing happened? Should I remind you of the state of construction of the “Hemus“ highway when I took over the ministry? And many things were arranged there. Every sphere of the economic life of the state was squeezed by old political battles, assemblies and coalitions – everyone forms a coalition with everyone and in the end nothing happens. The real change and the revelations that we made in the official offices were not an attack on political figures who ruled back in time, but a signal to society that things must change. Since 2020, since the protests, people have been demanding change, but politicians are not delivering it. Everyone has been taking advantage of public expectations, but in reality, they have done nothing. Now the time for this change is coming. And the public will demand it in a categorical manner.