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DE RUEHSF #0407/01 2051448
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R 241448Z JUL 09
FM AMEMBASSY SOFIA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 6204
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 SOFIA 000407 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV BU
SUBJECT: BULGARIA: NEW BULGARIAN GOVERNMENT 
 
¶1.  (SBU)  SUMMARY:  PM-designate Boyko Borissov formally submitted 
his cabinet to President Parvanov on July 23, parliamentary approval 
expected on July 27.  The cabinet of 16 (vice 18 in the former 
government), including two deputy PMs (vice 4) is a nearly even mix 
of GERB party members and Western-oriented technocrats from outside 
the party.  The technocrats are not all experienced in government 
but they are well-qualified and without the taint of corruption. 
One significant surprise is Traycho Traykov, a little-known lawyer 
for an Austrian power company, for the critical Economy and Energy 
ministry. 
 
¶2.  (SBU)  The cabinet choices signal a change in direction and 
seriousness about reform; they will likely receive wide public 
support.  Key ministries of Interior, Defense and Foreign Affairs 
have gone to close embassy contacts.  The choice of technocrats is 
not surprising, as the young GERB party has few of its own experts. 
The cabinet reflects the change Bulgarians voted for on July 5. 
Expectations will be high.  The new government will need to take 
quick steps to address effects of the economic crisis and show it is 
really fighting corruption if it wants to reestablish faith in 
Bulgarian institutions among the people and with the EU.  It will 
look to us for guidance and be very receptive to us for advice.  END 
SUMMARY. 
 
CONSOLIDATION 
------------- 
 
¶3.  (SBU)  Reducing and consolidating government as promised in the 
campaign, Borissov abolished the State Administration and Emergency 
Situations ministries; the positions of Deputy PM for EU Funds 
Management and Minister for European Affairs; moved tourism and 
forestry to the Economy and Energy ministry; moved youth and science 
to Education; and shifted the Agency for Information Technology to 
the Ministry of Transport.  There is one new ministry, Physical 
Education and Sports.  Borissov did not separate Economy and Energy 
into separate ministries as expected.  Speculation is that it will 
happen in a few months once the new government is settled in. 
 
BIOS 
---- 
 
¶4.  (SBU)  Brief bios of key ministers follow below: 
 
TSVETAN TSVETANOV, DEPUTY PM, MINISTER OF INTERIOR AFFAIRS: 
Tsvetanov (44) was Borissov's right hand during his time at the MOI. 
 When Borissov started GERB, he made Tsvetanov party chairman as 
Bulgarian law bans mayors from serving as party leaders.  Loyal, 
hard-working, non-controversial and void of charisma, Tsvetanov was 
the ideal figurehead to chair GERB without posing any threat to its 
real leader.  He is faced with a major overhaul challenge at the MOI 
but is respected by the police and has Borissov's strong backing. 
Tsvetanov is very open to the embassy and advice from U.S. experts. 
He visited the U.S. in June 2008 as a participant in a State 
Department-sponsored single country program on party-building and 
U.S. foreign policy. 
 
SIMEON DYANKOV, DEPUTY PM, MINISTER OF FINANCE:  Dyankov (39) worked 
at the World Bank Headquarters in Washington from 1995 to 2009.  He 
is ranked among the 150 most cited economists in the world according 
to IDEAS/RePEc (Research Papers in Economics).  Though Dyankov's 
skills are impressive, he is a newcomer to Bulgaria (he left to 
study in the U.S. in 1991) and to Bulgarian politics (he joined the 
GERB economy team earlier this year).  To his advantage, he is a new 
face without baggage from past, but he will be working in a very 
different environment from the World Bank.  As a minister he is 
facing tough challenges; especially (possible) talks with IMF for an 
agreement and improving the use of EU funds, all while trying to 
satisfy high public expectations. 
 
NIKOLAY MLADENOV, MINISTER OF DEFENSE:  Mladenov (37) entered 
politics at a young age, working at the Open Society Foundation and 
the World Bank.  In 1999 he founded the European Institute in Sofia 
and served as its first director, playing an important role in 
Bulgaria's accession to NATO and the European Union.  His public 
statements continue to show strong support for Bulgaria's 
integration into EU and NATO.  In 2001, he was elected MP for the 
Union of Democratic Forces (UDF) and rose to Deputy Chairperson but 
quit in 2005 after party infighting.  In 2007 he entered the 
European Parliament as a GERB delegate, where he worked on defense 
issues.  Mladenov has not served in the military or Defense ministry 
and would have preferred the Foreign Ministry post, but Borissov 
said there was "no one else I can trust" with Defense. 
 
RUMIANA ZHELEVA, FOREIGN MINISTER:  Zheleva (40), a respected 
sociologist and lecturer at Bulgarian universities and abroad, was 
elected GERB MEP in 2007.  During her first mandate in the EP she 
was a member of the Committee on Regional Development and the 
Delegation for relations with the Maastricht countries.   In June 
2009 she won a second mandate and became one of the European 
People's Party's ten vice chairpersons.  Zheleva is intelligent and 
makes a good impression, but her foreign policy experience is 
limited. 
 
SOFIA 00000407  002 OF 002 
 
 
 
TRAYCHO TRAYKOV, MINISTER OF ENERGY, ECONOMY AND TOURISM:  Called 
"the yuppie" by his colleagues, Traykov was unknown to Bulgarian 
politics before Borissov's surprise choice.  Traikov has had no 
previous public exposure and colleagues describe him as very 
intelligent but "a silent, not a leader type."  There is speculation 
his nomination was supported by the so-called Plovdiv lobby of 
oligarchs close to Parvanov.  There are rumors of a personal link to 
proposed Finance Minister Dyankov.  Since 2006 Traikov has worked as 
a legal advisor for Austrian power company EVN. 
 
MARGARITA POPOVA, JUSTICE:  A long time partner in DOJ programs, 
Margarita Popova is a career magistrate with over 20 years 
experience in the Prosecution Service.  She enjoys a good reputation 
among her colleagues who describe her as an open, energetic, 
disciplined and gutsy person. If approved by Parliament, Popova will 
be the third woman Justice Minister. 
 
ROSSEN PLEVNALIEV - REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT:  Intelligent and 
soft-spoken, Plevneliev has a respected name in the construction 
business.  His entry into politics is attributed to ties with media 
tycoon and industrialist Ivo Prokopiev, who is close to Borissov. 
Plevneliev will face a tough challenge to win back the EU's 
confidence after last year's corruption scandals.  Plevneliev is 
also on the Board of Directors of AmCham Bulgaria and will receive a 
warm welcome from U.S. investors. 
 
MIROSLAV NAIDENOV - AGRICULTURE:  Naidenov spent most of his 
professional life in veterinary medicine.  He is Chair of the Expert 
Committee on Agriculture and Forestry in the GERB party.  In 2008, 
Naidenov attended a training program for political leaders at the 
State Department. 
 
TOTYU MLADENOV, MINISTER OF LABOR AND SOCIAL AFFAIRS: GERB mayor of 
Vratsa, won an upset victory in a BSP stronghold.  Spent most of 
career on trade union issues, including as representative of 
Podkrepa trade union and director of the Chief Labor Inspectorate. 
 
BOZHIDAR DIMITROV, MINISTER WITHOUT PORTFOLIO/DIASPORA AFFAIRS: 
Prominent nationalist historian Dimitrov quit the BSP to run for 
GERB in Burgas and defeated the Ataka favorite.  Slated for a 
parliament deputy chairmanship, revelation of past work with 
communist-era security disqualified him.  Borissov is believed to 
have given him minister-without-portfolio as compensation. 
 
¶5.  (SBU)  A list of the other ministers follow below.  We will send 
additional biographic information on them septel. 
 
Alexander Zvetkov - Transport (GERB, Sofia Deputy Mayor in charge of 
transport) 
 
Nona Karadjova - Environment 
 
Totyo Mladenov - Social Affairs (GERB) 
 
Dr. Bojidar Nanev - Public Health 
 
Svilen Neikov - Physical Education and Sports 
 
Yordanka Fandakova - Education (GERB) 
 
Vezdi Rashidov - Culture (GERB)