Bulgaria's President Rumen Radev (L) and the newly appointed Bulgarian interim Prime Minister Ognyan Gerdzhikov attend an official ceremony in Sofia, Bulgaria January 27, 2017. Bulgarian caretaker government headed by Ognyan Gerdjikov took office on Friday, with key tasks such as organizing the parliamentary elections on March 26 and ensuring the stability of the country. (Xinhua/Wang Xinran)
SOFIA, Jan. 27 (Xinhua) -- Bulgarian caretaker government headed by Ognyan Gerdjikov took office on Friday, with key tasks such as organizing the parliamentary elections on March 26 and ensuring the stability of the country.
"The primary mission of the caretaker government is the organization, preparation and conduct of free and fair elections," Bulgarian President Rumen Radev said while announcing the cabinet's composition, structure and priorities.
The caretaker government should take all the necessary measures to prevent electoral manipulation and actions vitiating the electoral process, Radev said.
Meanwhile, he said it was extremely important for the government to ensure the financial, social and economic stability of the country, as well as the security of the citizens.
He would closely monitor the integrity and transparency in the work of ministers and the administration, added Radev.
The president appointed the government after the GERB party-led coalition cabinet resigned in mid-November last year, and the parliamentary parties failed to form a new cabinet.
The preparation of the Bulgarian presidency of the European Union (EU) Council in 2018 was another important task of the caretaker government, Radev said.
To accomplish this task, it was necessary to improve cooperation and coordination between institutions at all levels.
To this end, he appointed a Deputy Prime Minister responsible for the preparation of the Bulgarian presidency of the EU Council, Radev said.
Gerdjikov said that the word "caretaker" primarily meant "serving the people and the homeland".
"I want to clearly and confidently declare that the government headed by me is ready to devote itself to such a serving," Gerdjikov said.
