Gurov in Pernik: oversight of Bulgaria's government must be in safe hands
Presidential candidate Andrey Gurov told voters in Pernik that an independent presidency should act as a check on the government, adding he was not promising to be a saviour.
Archive image · Photo: Unbekannter Autor / Wikimedia Commons, Public domain (cropped and resized)
Bulgarian presidential candidate Andrey Gurov said on Sunday that oversight of the government must rest with someone voters can trust, so that the cabinet does its job, BTA news agency reported. Speaking to residents of Pernik, west of Sofia, two weeks before the October 25 vote, he said "the president and the presidential institution have a very powerful tool - their voice." The president should back the government when it performs well and oppose decisions against the public interest, he said, adding: "I am not promising to be a saviour."
Gurov listed three priorities for Pernik: easier travel to Sofia, an end to foul odours in the Bela Voda neighbourhood and more opportunities for young people. He said 13 complaints and 10 inspections over the odours this year had failed to identify the source.
The former caretaker prime minister also pointed to his cabinet's record, citing fair elections, the evacuation of 2,600 Bulgarians from a conflict zone and support for people hit by higher fuel prices. Data on some 7,000 public procurement procedures was published and 180 million euros was allocated to 179 municipalities within 40 days, regardless of mayors' party affiliation, he said.