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“Petkov has degree in Economics and Finance from the University of Vancouver and an MBA from Harvard. Vassilev has a degree in Economics and a postgrad in law and business administration from Harvard"
Radev said its objectives remain unchanged: to continue strengthening the rule of law, a process that started
in mid-May when Radev appointed
the previous government, to prepare for the next snap vote and to take reasonable steps to overcome the coronacrisis and improve people’s lives.
Vezieva, who is replacing Petkov at the economy ministry, was a member of his team and is expected to continue implementing the same policies.
The finance ministry will be headed by yet another Harvard graduate, Valeri Belchev, who said when taking the post that his ministry will work towards the adoption of the euro, and to promote transparency among the institutions controlled by the ministry.
Hristo Aleksiev, who was heading the state railway infrastructure company until he was appointed as the new transport minister, said the ministry will work on improving rail transport.
coalition. He is also founder and CEO
of the ProViotic company that produces probiotics. The company is among the successful ones in Bulgaria. Petkov was also active in environmentalist and anti- corruption protests.
His friend and colleague Vassilev is co-founder of the Centre for Economic Strategies and Competitiveness. He has worked as consultant for Monitor Group in the US, Canada, Europe
and South Africa.
The two new political players have solid educations. Petkov has a degree in Economics and Finance at the University of Vancouver and an MBA from Harvard. Vassilev has a degree in
Economics from Harvard, and went on to specialise in business administration and law at the Harvard Business School and Harvard Law School.
If the two enter the parliament, they
are expected to work with reformist Democratic Bulgaria and with Stand up.BG! We Are Coming (ISBG), though it is not clear whether the groupings would manage to put together a stable majority.
Sceptics expect the next parliament to produce more of the same and yet another snap vote to follow.
New-old government, same tasks
Meanwhile, at the official ceremony to appoint the new caretaker government,
Merkel says EU should “keep its word” in relations with accession candidates
bne IntelIiNew
German Chancellor Angela Merkel talked of the need for the EU
to keep its word in relations
with the accession candidates from
the Western Balkan states during her visit to the Albanian capital Tirana on September 14.
Merkel arrived in Tirana after her
visit to Belgrade the previous day as she continued a farewell tour of the EU-aspiring region. She reiterated
the point made on September 13 that the EU has a geostrategic interest in bringing the Western Balkan countries into the bloc, but acknowledged the difficulties in advancing Albania and
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North Macedonia towards accession.
“Albania and North Macedonia, both have reached a state where we can start accession negotiations and hold the accession conference,” the chancellor said. “Unfortunately, we did not succeed in doing this during the German Council Presidency because there was an objection from a member state, namely Bulgaria,
with regard to North Macedonia. But we discussed that it is imperative that we hold on in order for the accession process to move forward. Because a lot of effort and effort has been put into this process.”
The hopes in both Albania and North Macedonia of moving forward to EU accession negotiations were dashed at the end of last year, when Bulgaria
“Albania and North Macedonia, both have reached a state where we can start accession negotiations and hold the accession conference"