30 August is the deadline for the EU members to submit their nominations for European commissioners. Bulgaria has to submit two nominations – of a man and a woman. In a letter to the parties represented in parliament on 27 August, caretaker PM Dimitar Glavchev urged them to nominate their candidates, pointing out that “The Bulgarian European commissioner should express the long-term national priorities and policies at a European level.”  

• Bulgaria has two days to nominate its commissioner

The reason why Bulgaria will submit its nominations in the last minute can be found in the statement by Dimitar Glavchev, who was, at the time, again caretaker PM in the previous caretaker government, that he would give “the next government an opportunity to make these nominations, in consultation with the political forces.” However, when President Rumen Radev signed a decree, on 26 August, appointing a new caretaker cabinet, again headed by the caretaker PM in the previous government, Dimitar Glavchev, the question of the nominations was back in his own court and now the reaction has to come at lightning speed.