Iliyana Tsanova

As the parties in Bulgaria's parliament struggle in vain to form a new government, President Rosen Plevneliev may face the task of having to appoint a third caretaker government in his five-year-mandate.

Plevneliev's task could be far more complicated this time, however, as his mandate is about to expire. He is due to hand over office to President-elect Rumen Radev on January 22.

Bulgaria's former caretaker Deputy Prime Minister, Iliyana Tsanova, was elected as the Deputy Managing Director of the European Fund for Strategic Investments (EFSI).

At its plenary session on Wednesday, the European Parliament approved the nomination of Tsanova with 454 votes in favour, daily Dnevnik informs.

Caretaker Prime Minister Georgi Bliznashki and other ministers in his cabinet are to be questioned by lawmakers for the first time since assuming office on August 6.

Bliznashki and his colleagues are to cast more light on certain issues related to the government's general policies.

Bulgaria expects to receive BGN 700M in funding under the EU's Operational Programme Environment by the end of the year, caretaker Environment Minister Svetlana Zhekova has said.

The sum comprises delayed and suspended payments as well as new payments processed over the past two months, Zhekova told Darik radio station on Saturday.

Iva Yordanova, an adviser of interim Deputy Prime Minister Iliyana Tsanova, is the new head of the State Agency for Bulgarians Abroad, the government's press office has announced.

Yordanova is to assume office after Yordan Yanev was dismissed following reports of violations in the issuance of certificates for Bulgarian origin to foreign citizens.

Iliyana Tsanova, caretaker Deputy Prime Minister in charge of EU funds, has suggested that Bulgaria may recover blocked payments under the EU operational programs Environment and Regional Development by end-October.

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Bulgaria's EU Funds Management Coordination Council has proposed a budget of EUR 113.5 M in the 2014-2020 programming period.

According to the proposal, a total of EUR 88 M is to be supplied in the form of EU funding and a total of EUR 25.5 M is to be provided through national co-financing, according to a media statement of the Council of Ministers.

Еli Milusheva, the director of the Operational Program Competitiveness managed by the Economy Ministry, is to resign, official sources say.

Milusheva has decided to take the move after the institution asked her to do so, the website Capital Daily reports, citing the interim EU Funds Minister Iliyana Tsanova.

Bulgaria needs to persevere in its commitment to reforms to benefit from the approved EU funding of some EUR 10 B until 2020, the Deputy PM for EU Funds Management has said.

Iliyana Tsanova has been appointed caretaker Deputy PM for EU Funds Management.

She was born on January 19, 1976 in Sofia.

She holds an MA in Finance from the University of National and World Economy (UNWE) and has completed a postgraduate program in Financial Management at the George Washington University as a USAID fellow and the Georgetown University.