NEWS

President Rosen Plevneliev signed his first decrees

President Rosen Plevneliev has signed his first decrees as Head of State.

By decree, powers are delegated to Vice President Margarita Popova in terms of Article 98, items 9, 10 and 11:

* Pardons
* Granting of Bulgarian citizenship
* Asylum

As well as in terms of Article 98, section 7 of the Constitution of the Republic of Bulgaria Act, in terms of the law on Bulgarians living outside the Republic of Bulgaria:

By decree on the Organisation of the Administration, the President has created five commissions:

* The Commission on Bulgarian Citizenship and on Bulgarians Abroad;
* The Commission on Pardons;
* The Commission on Asylum:
* The Commission on the Remission of Uncollectable State Debts; and
* The Commission on the Naming of Objects of National Importance and Settlements.

The President of the Republic will have a:

* Secretary for Foreign Affairs;
* Secretary for Defence and Security;
* Secretary for Legal Affairs;
* Secretary for Spirituality, Culture and National Identity;
* Secretary for Economics, Regional Development and Infrastructure;
* Secretary for Economics, Investment and Innovation;
* Secretary for Science and Education;
* Secretary for Health and Social Policy;
* Press Secretary; and
* Secretary for Domestic Policy

The Presidential Administration will have six councils. These councils will discuss and give their opinions on the following areas: foreign policy, defence and security; legal counsel; the Council on Spirituality, Culture and National Identity; Council for Development of the Regions and National Infrastructure; Council for Economic Development and Social Policy; and the Council for Science and Education.

By decree, Rosen Plevneliev appointed Tsvetlin Yovchev as Chief of Staff of the President of the Republic; Ekaterina Zaharieva as Chief Secretary to the President of the Republic; Maria Ivanova as Press Secretary of the President of the Republic; Elitsa Nikolova as Secretary for Economics, Regional Development and Infrastructure to the President of the Republic; and Petya Tyankova and Rosen Kozhuharov as Secretaries for Legal Affairs of the President of the Republic.