What the caretaker cabinet did in 78 days is yet another proof that caretaker governments are the ones that appease the nation in times of crisis and set the correct direction for the country’s development. This is what President Rosen Plevneliev said, making an assessment of the caretaker cabinet appointed by the Head of State on 13 March 2013. In the presence of Caretaker Prime Minister Marin Raykov and the caretaker cabinet members, the President pointed out that it has coped with its two most important tasks – to appease the public and to guarantee a smooth and democratic transition to a new parliament and government. “The caretaker cabinet did not make serious mistakes and adopted a constructive and positive approach and set an example of continuity,” Rosen Plevneliev commented.
The Head of State recalled that amid the severe social, economic, political and parliamentary crisis, the caretaker government took on the difficult commitment to guarantee financial stability, ensure public peace and to restore the social dialogue between the institutions and the people. The organization of the general election was at a good level, it was free and democratic and such is the assessment made by the international observers. Furthermore, the public councils at the Council of Ministers and the ministries showed that these are working models of interaction between the state institutions and the public, the President emphasized.
Rosen Plevneliev outlined the urgent measures that the caretaker government took to resolve the most painful problems and fulfill the most important tasks the nation is facing. Within the existing budget framework, assistance was provided to people who had been most severely hit by the crisis, the unemployment rate fell by more than one percent and the pensions were increased as of 1 April 2013, as planned. The interest on the long-term government securities fell by two points, the Head of State said.
A comprehensive international analysis in the energy sector was made, which “shed light on every agent along the chain” and the caretaker government managed to take efficient measures in respect of liberalizing the energy market, which, the President recalled, is one of the conditions for a sustainable long-term solution to the problems in the energy sector. Approximately 200 contracts in the Energy sector were unveiled.
The advance payments under the Competitiveness operational program were increased for the small and medium-sized business and more than 300 million leva were provided in the form of low-interest loans. The help under the program for securing energy efficiency of the buildings was increased up to 75 percent. The implementation of the big infrastructural projects was speeded up. By the end of June the Trakiya highway will be completed, and so will the construction of Danube II bridge, which is to be opened on 14 June. Furthermore in the next months the construction of Lot I of the Sruma highway will be finished, in the section stretching from the Sofia ring-road to the Yana station and in the section between Shumen and Belokopitovo of the Hemus highway. Electronic files of the big infrastructural projects were worked out, which provide the opportunity to ensure “considerable publicity and control over what the nation’s big money is spent on,” the President further added.
The negotiations with the European Commission on the partnership agreement on the funds for the next post-2014 programming period will be launched within the space of two weeks, the Head of state said.
Rosen Plevneliev further pointed out the achievements of the caretaker government in the areas of justice, e-government and culture. He emphasized that rules have been set out for the management of company funds in which the state holds a share in the capital of more than 50-percent.
The President called on the Assembly Deputies in the 42nd National Assembly and the new government to “recognize and support the good ideas” of the caretaker government, among which are the drafted amendments to the Energy Bill, draft Bill on Innovations, the bill on secondary vocational training, the integrated plan for the introduction of e-government, the Elective Board at the Council of Ministers.
“Not being left to work in peace for even a single minute, nor given 100 days to achieve results, the caretaker government proved that through expertise and taking a principled position, without dependencies and behind-the-scene arrangements, Bulgaria can be successfully ruled,” the Head of State summarized his assessment and thanked the caretaker government’s team for the responsible attitude they displayed.