Bulgaria PM Takes Over Preparations for EU Presidency

File photo, BGNES

Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borisov is assuming the position of National Coordinator for the rotating Presidency of the Council of the EU, the government has said.

The change means Borisov is taking over from Deputy PM and Education Minister Meglena Kuneva.

The government's decision is motivated by a need for a "strong political commitment" following the decision to reschedule Bulgaria's six-month term.

Bulgaria was to preside the Council of the EU between July and December 2018, but will now do so six months earlier after Britain renounced its own term following the Brexit referendum.

Borisov will now oversee the preparation, while Kuneva will be in charge of logistics and staff management. Another Deputy PM, Tomislav Donchev, will look after the presidency's "infrastructure" and will be assigned the interaction with National Palace of Culture (NDK) officials, as some of the events will be held in that building.

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