Goritsa Grancharova

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Goritsa Grancharova
Горица Грънчарова
Grancharova in 2024
Prime Minister of Bulgaria
Assuming office
20 August 2024
PresidentRumen Radev
SucceedingDimitar Glavchev
Deputy Chairperson of the Chamber of Audit
Assumed office
9 April 2015
ChairpersonTsvetan Tsvetkov
Dimitar Glavchev
Personal details
Born
Goritsa Nikolova Grancharova

(1966-04-09) 9 April 1966 (age 58)
Godlevo, Razlog, PR Bulgaria
Political partyIndependent
SpousesMikhail Kozharev
Alma materD. A. Tsenov Academy of Economics
Occupation
  • Politician
  • auditor

Goritsa Nikolova Grancharova-Kozhareva[1][2][3] (Bulgarian: Горица Николова Грънчарова-Кожарева, born 9 April 1966) is a Bulgarian auditor and politician who was designated to become the next caretaker Prime Minister of Bulgaria on 9 August 2024. A political independent, she is also the deputy chairperson of the Chamber of Audit.[4][5]

Early life, education and career

She was born on 9 April 1966, in the town of Razlog. She graduated from the D. A Tsenov Academy in Svishtov with a degree in "Audit and Control".[6]

In her work outside the Chamber of Audit, she worked as an expert in the auditing sector, being employed by Bulgargaz, the National Revenues Agency and other Bulgarian banks.[6]

Career in the Chamber of Audit

Goritsa Grancharova-Kozharova was first nominated to serve in the Chamber of Audit in 2005, during the tenure of the Sakskoburggotski Government by the parliamentary group New Time.[7] In this role, she led the section of the Audit Chamber responsible for auditing the Ministry of Defense, Ministry of Environment, the National Statistical Institute, the Bulgarian National Radio and Television, as well as other state institutions.[6]

In 2011, she technically left the Chamber of Audit, instead being appointed to the Chamber of Audit's Consultation Council.[8]

In 2014, during the Oresharski Government, Grancharova was once again appointed to the Chamber of Audit, with her candidacy being personally presented by BSP MP, Korneliya Ninova.[7] In her renewed stint as a member of the Chamber of Audit, she was responsible for auditing the Presidential Administration, Cabinet, National Assembly, Bulgarian National Bank and institutions of the judicial system.[6] She further led a work group meant to insure that the practices of the Chamber of Audit aligned international auditing standards.[6] Her role as an auditor of the judicial system led to accusations of a conflict of interest, as her husband, Mikhail Kozharev, worked in the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) at the time.[7]

Leadership in the Chamber of Audit

In 2015, Grancharova-Kozhareva was nominated by the Patriotic Front "VMRO-NFSB" for the position of Head of the Chamber of Audit.[7] Subsequently, however, her candidacy was withdrawn and Tsvetan Tsvetkov was elected unopposed.[7] Grancharova-Kozhareva was selected as one of Tsvetkov's deputies, wherein she was responsible for supervising audits, overseeing cooperation with the Auditing Chambers of other NATO nations and chaired the Chamber of Audit's ethics committee.[6]

Her term as deputy was supposed to last 7 years (between 2015 and 2022), however due to the political crisis which developed in Bulgaria, she continued to serve within the Chamber of Audit outside her nominal mandate.[9]

Acting Head of the Chamber of Audit

On the 20th of January, 2023, the National Assembly voted to remove the Head of the Chamber of Audit, Tsvetkov, after allegations that the institution did not properly investigate potentially illegally financing of We Continue the Change through the crypto-currency bank, Nexo.[9] In the parliament's decision, it was mandated that Goritsa Grancharova-Kozhareva undertake the role of Acting Head of the Chamber of Audit.[9] The parliament's decision was immediately challenged by President Rumen Radev, who claimed that the decision was unconstitutional.[7]

Upon assuming the position of Acting Head, Grancharova-Kozhareva accused Tsvetkov of mismanagement of funds and of halting auditing processes.[10] Tsvetkov, however, has denied these allegations.[11]

During her tenure, some media outlets, particularly Dnevnik, claimed that the "administrative irregularities" report of the Audit Chamber was framed to defend the financial activities of the Prosecutors Office, in which her husband was employed.[12]

On the 7th of July, the Constitutional Court ruled that Tsvetkov's removal had been unconstitutional, thus technically reinstating him to the position of Head of the Chamber of Audit.[7] As a response, parliament voted to extend the procedure for the election of a new Head of the Chamber of Audit and codified Grancharova-Kozhareva's position as Acting Head.[7]

On the 11th of July, Tsvetkov attempted to enter the Chamber of Audit building, however he was barred from doing so by Grancharova-Kozhareva who insisted that she remained the Acting Head of the institution.[13]

The impasse was resolved on the 26th of July, when the National Assembly elected Dimitar Glavchev as the new head of the Chamber of Audit.[14] On the 31st of July, Grancharova-Kozhareva officially welcomed Glavchev as the head of the institution and returned to her position as Deputy Head.[15]

On the 9th of April, 2024, Dimitar Glavchev assumed the position of Caretaker Prime Minister, leaving his position as head of the Chamber of Audit for the duration of his tenure.[16] In his absence, Grancharova-Kozhareva was once again selected as the Acting Head of the Chamber of Audit.[6]

Caretaker Prime Minister

Appointment and Caretaker Government Formation

According to the constitutional amendments, passed in December, 2023, Grancharova-Kozharava, as Deputy Head of the Chamber of Audit, was one of 9 figures within the civil service eligible to be selected by the President to serve as caretaker Prime Minister.[17]

In August, 2024, following the incoclusive end of the government formation process with the return of the third mandate, speculation mounted about whether Glavchev was set to be re-appointed as Caretaker Prime Minister or be replaced by another figure from the roster of available candidates.[18] Grancharova-Kozhareva, Glavchev's nominal deputy within the Chamber of Audit, increasingly emerged as one of the favourites to replace Glavchev.

On the 9th of August, President Radev officially announced that he had selected her for the position of Caretaker Prime Minister, citing her nominal political independence.[19] Radev gave Grancharova-Karadzhova 10 days to present a Caretaker Cabinet, in order to enable Radev to schedule the upcoming snap elections for the 20th of October.[19]

In a statement to the press shortly after her designation, she confirmed that she intended to retain certain caretaker ministers from the Glavchev Government and would immediately begin interviews with prospective ministers.[20]

References

  1. ^ https://news.bg/politics/pp-db-chakat-kabineta-na-goritsa-grancharova.html ПП-ДБ чакат кабинета на Горица Грънчарова
  2. ^ https://bntnews.bg/news/start-na-razgovorite-za-kabinet-na-gorica-grancharova-1289228news.html Старт на разговорите за кабинет на Горица Грънчарова
  3. ^ https://www.actualno.com/politics/pf-predlaga-gorica-gryncharova-za-shef-na-smetnata-palata-news_462943.html ПФ предлага Горица Грънчарова за шеф на Сметната палата
  4. ^ https://bnt.bg/news/national-audit-office-vice-president-goritsa-grancharova-kozhareva-is-the-new-caretaker-pm-331249news.html
  5. ^ https://btvnovinite.bg/bulgaria/kandidatat-za-ministar-predsedatel-koja-e-gorica-grancharova.html
  6. ^ a b c d e f g "Коя е Горица Грънчарова – номинирана за служебен премиер". Darik (in Bulgarian). Retrieved 2024-08-11.
  7. ^ a b c d e f g h "Коя е Горица Грънчарова-Кожарева, номинирана за служебен премиер". Kapital (in Bulgarian). Retrieved 2024-08-11.
  8. ^ "Коя е номинираната за служебен премиер Горица Грънчарова - Кожарева?". Trud (in Bulgarian). Retrieved 2024-08-11.
  9. ^ a b c "С гласовете на ГЕРБ, ДПС, БСП и "Български възход" парламентът освободи шефа на Сметната палата". SvobodnaEvropa (in Bulgarian). Retrieved 2024-08-11.
  10. ^ "Скандал в Сметната палата: Обвиниха Цветан Цветков в злоупотреба за 3 млн. лв". BgOnAir (in Bulgarian). Retrieved 2024-08-11.
  11. ^ "Войната в Сметната палата: Цветан Цветков отрече да има злоупотреба". BgOnAir (in Bulgarian). Retrieved 2024-08-11.
  12. ^ "От заместник на Главчев до служебен премиер: Коя е Горица Грънчарова (обновена)". Dnevnik (in Bulgarian). Retrieved 2024-08-11.
  13. ^ "Охраната на Сметната палата не допусна отстранения председател Цветан Цветков". Breaking.bg (in Bulgarian). Retrieved 2024-08-11.
  14. ^ "ГЕРБ издига кандидатурата на Димитър Главчев за председател на Сметната палата". Dnevnik (in Bulgarian). 12 July 2023. Archived from the original on 30 March 2024. Retrieved 30 March 2024.
  15. ^ "Народното събрание избра Димитър Главчев за председател на Сметната палата". Bulnao (in Bulgarian). 31 July 2023. Archived from the original on 30 March 2024. Retrieved 30 March 2024.
  16. ^ "Bulgarian parliament formally approves caretaker government to run country until June 9 elections". Associated Press. 9 April 2024. Archived from the original on 11 April 2024. Retrieved 12 April 2024.
  17. ^ "Кой може да стане служебен премиер след промените в Конституцията". Vesti (in Bulgarian). 25 March 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  18. ^ "Кой може да стане служебен премиер след промените в Конституцията". Vesti (in Bulgarian). 5 August 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  19. ^ a b "Румен Радев възлoжи на Горица Грънчарова-Кожарева да състави служебно правителство". BTV (in Bulgarian). Retrieved 2024-08-09.
  20. ^ [Горица Грънчарова-Кожарева: Започвам разговори с настоящите министри "https://btvnovinite.bg/bulgaria/gorica-grancharova-zapochvam-razgovori-s-nastojashtite-ministri.html"]. BTV (in Bulgarian). Retrieved 2024-08-11. {{cite web}}: Check |url= value (help); External link in |title= (help)
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