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date: 1/23/1995 16:29 refid: 95SOFIA528 origin: Embassy Sofia classification: CONFIDENTIAL destination: header: O 231629Z JAN 95 FM AMEMBASSY SOFIA TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 2495 INFO AMEMBASSY BELGRADE EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 SOFIA 000528 C O R R E C T E D C O P Y (PARAS 2 & 3) E.O. 12356:DECL: OADR TAGS: PGOV, PREL, ECON, BU SUBJECT: IT COULD HAVE BEEN WORSE: BULGARIA'S SOCIALIST PARTY CABINET INCLUDES SOME MODERATES 1.(C) ON JANUARY 22, THE BULGARIAN SOCIALIST PARTY (BSP) APPROVED A PROPOSED 18-MEMBER CABINET TO BE HEADED BY BSP CHAIRMAN ZHAN VIDENOV. PARLIAMENTARY APPROVAL IS EXPECTED BY THE END OF THE WEEK. ON THE ONE HAND, THE CONFIDENTIAL CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 02 SOFIA 00528 01 OF 03 240820Z PROPOSED CABINET INCLUDES SOME PRAGMATIC BSP "MODERATES" IN CHARGE OF THE KEY EXTERNALLY-ORIENTED MINISTRIES OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS, TRADE, FINANCE AND DEFENSE. ON THE OTHER HAND, MOST OF THE REST OF THE CABINET, INCLUDING THE MINISTRIES OF INTERNAL AFFAIRS, LABOR, INDUSTRY AND EDUCATION, HARK BACK TO THE BSP'S COMMUNIST PAST. THE BEST NEWS IS THAT IT CLEARLY SIGNALS A DESIRE TO WORK WITH THE INTERNATIONAL FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS AND THEREFORE TO CONTINUE A PATH OF ECONOMIC REFORM. THE CHALLENGE FOR THE GOVERNMENT WILL BE TO DO SO AND AT THE SAME TIME TO SATISFY THE GREATLY-RAISED EXPECTATIONS OF ITS ELECTORATE FOR GREATER SOCIAL SPENDING. END SUMMARY. 2.(U) THE 186-MEMBER BSP HIGH COUNCIL APPROVED THE PROPOSED LIST IN A SIX-HOUR SESSION JANUARY 21. CONTRARY TO RUMORS THAT VIDENOV PLANNED A RADICAL CHANGE IN THE NUMBER AND STRUCTURE OF MINISTRIES, HE ADDED ONLY A FOURTH DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER (WITHOUT PORTFOLIO) AND SET UP A NEW MINISTRY FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. A MUCH-DISCUSSED MINISTRY FOR EUROPEAN INTEGRATION WAS NOT ESTABLISHED. TEN OF THE MINISTERS ARE BSP MEMBERS, INCLUDING THE PROPOSED MINISTER OF EDUCATION, WHO HELD THE SAME PORTFOLIO UNDER COMMUNIST DICTATOR TODOR ZHIVKOV. THE BSP'S TWO COALITION PARTNERS, THE ALEXANDER STAMBOLIYSKI AGRARIANS AND THE ECOGLASNOST POLITICAL CLUB, RECEIVED THREE SLOTS-- ONE DEPUTY PREMIERSHIP AND AGRICULTURE FOR THE FORMER, WHILE THE LATTER WAS AWARDED MINISTRY OF THE ENVIRONMENT. OF FOUR NON-PARTY MINISTERS, ALL BUT FINANCE MINISTER KOSTOV HAVE STRONG TIES TO THE BSP. CONFIDENTIAL CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 03 SOFIA 00528 01 OF 03 240820Z 3.(C) HERE FOLLOWS THE MAKE-UP OF THE BSP-PROPOSED CABINET, WITH BRIEF BIO DATA ON EACH MINISTER. ZHAN VIDENOV -- PRIME MINISTER. THE PRAGMATIC BSP CHAIRMAN SINCE 1991, VIDENOV HAS INCREASINGLY ASSERTED HIS INDEPENDENCE FROM HARDLINE AND REFORM WINGS OF THE BSP. THE RESIDENT WORLD BANK REP CONSIDERS HIM TO BE "SOMEONE THE BANK CAN WORK WITH." BORN 3/22/59, VIDENOV IS THE YOUNGEST MEMBER OF THE CABINET. HE SPEAKS ENGLISH, RUSSIAN, ARABIC AND SOME FRENCH. DONCHO KONAKCHIEV -- FIRST DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER AND MINISTER FOR TERRITORIAL DEVELOPMENT AND CONSTRUCTION. A CLOSE VIDENOV CONFIDANT, KONAKCHIEV MADE AN UNSUCCESSFUL BID TO BE MAYOR OF SOFIA. BORN 3/17/43. KIRIL TSOCHEV -- DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER AND MINISTER OF TRADE AND ECONOMIC COOPERATION. TSOCHEV RETURNS TO THE POST HE HELD FOR SIX MONTHS IN 1994 UNDER THE GOVERNMENT OF P.M. LYUBEN BEROV. A PRAGMATIC TECHNOCRAT, TSOCHEV CONDUCTED AN OPEN-DOOR POLICY TO THE U.S. DURING HIS TENURE, ALTHOUGH HE HAD LIMITED INFLUENCE AND IS NOT EXPECTED TO BE A HEAVYWEIGHT IN VIDENOV'S GOVERNMENT. HE IS RUMORED TO BE CLOSE TO ANDREI LUKANOV, A POWERFUL BEHIND-THE-SCENES LEADER IN THE BSP. BORN 4/4/47, TSOCHEV SPEAKS ENGLISH AND RUSSIAN. RUMEN GECHEV -- DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. A RISING STAR IN THE BSP, GECHEV WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR INFRASTRUCTURE, INVESTMENTS AND PRIVATIZATION. A PROPONENT OF STATE SUBSIDIES TO CONFIDENTIAL CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 04 SOFIA 00528 01 OF 03 240820Z INCREASE PRODUCTION, GECHEV WAS A FULBRIGHTER IN ECONOMICS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS FROM 1987-88. BY ALL ACCOUNTS, THE EXPERIENCE DID LITTLE TO ENLIGHTEN HIS VIEWS ON ECONOMICS. BORN 10/4/56, HE SPEAKS ENGLISH AND RUSSIAN. SVETOSLAV SHIVAROV -- DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER WITHOUT PORTFOLIO. SHIVAROV, WHO IS CHAIRMAN OF THE BSP COALITION PARTNER, THE ALEXANDER STAMBOLIYSKI AGRARIAN PARTY, OWES HIS NEWLY-CREATED JOB TO A PRE-ELECTION AGREEMENT. IT IS NOT CLEAR WHAT SHIVAROV'S ROLE WILL BE. HE IS A LAWYER BY TRAINING, BORN IN 2/7/44. GEORGI PIRINSKI -- MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS. PIRINSKI, WHO SERVED AS A DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER UNDER THE BSP GOVERNMENT OF ANDREI LUKANOV IN 1991, IS A MEMBER OF THE BSP'S REFORMIST "SOCIAL DEMOCRATIC" WING. A POLISHED DIPLOMAT, HE WILL PROMOTE BULGARIA'S CONTINUED INTEGRATION WITH EUROPE, BUT IS NOT PRO-NATO-- ACCORDING TO THE PRESS, HE WAS UNEXPECTEDLY CHOSEN OVER FELLOW-REFORMIST PHILIP BOKOV BECAUSE OF THE LATTER'S PUBLIC SUPPORT FOR BULGARIAN MEMBERSHIP IN NATO. BORN CONFIDENTIAL NNNNPTQ8737 CONFIDENTIAL PTQ8737 PAGE 01 SOFIA 00528 02 OF 03 240822Z ACTION EUR-01 INFO LOG-00 COR-01 AGRE-00 AID-01 AMAD-01 BIB-01 CEA-01 CIAE-00 SMEC-00 COME-00 CTME-00 OASY-00 DODE-00 EB-01 EXIM-01 E-00 FBIE-00 FRB-01 H-01 TEDE-00 INR-00 ITC-01 L-01 ADS-00 M-00 NRRC-00 NSAE-00 NSCE-00 OMB-01 OPIC-01 PA-01 PM-00 PRS-01 P-01 SB-00 SCT-00 SP-00 SSO-00 SS-00 STR-01 TRSE-00 T-00 USIE-00 PMB-00 DRL-09 G-00 /027W ------------------9E9671 240823Z /38 O 231629Z JAN 95 FM AMEMBASSY SOFIA TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 2496 INFO AMEMBASSY BELGRADE EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 02 OF 03 SOFIA 000528 C O R R E C T E D C O P Y (TEXT) E.O. 12356:DECL: OADR TAGS: PGOV, PREL, ECON, BU SUBJECT: IT COULD HAVE BEEN WORSE: BULGARIA'S SOCIALIST PARTY CABINET INCLUDES SOME MODERATES 9/10/48 IN NEW YORK, PIRINSKI'S FATHER WAS DEPORTED IN THE 1950'S FOR COMMUNIST ACTIVITY AND THE ENTIRE FAMILY MOVED TO BULGARIA. HE IS NOT A U.S. CITIZEN. HE SPEAKS ENGLISH, FRENCH AND RUSSIAN. HE IS CONSIDERED TO BE CONFIDENTIAL CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 02 SOFIA 00528 02 OF 03 240822Z ESPECIALLY CLOSE TO ANDREI LUKANOV. THIS APPOINTMENT WAS A SURPRISE IN THAT PIRINSKI HAS A VERY STRONG ECONOMIC FOUNDATION AND IT WAS EXPECTED THAT IF HE GOT AN APPOINTMENT, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN IN THAT AREA. DIMITUR PAVLOV -- MINISTER OF DEFENSE. A RETIRED ADMIRAL SINCE 1993 AND FORMER NAVAL CHIEF OF STAFF, PETROV HAS BEEN DEPUTY MINDEF UNDER THE LAST TWO GOVERNMENTS AND HAS CLOSE TIES TO THE BSP. HE HAS VISITED THE U.S. AND SEEKS GOOD RELATIONS WITH WESTERN MILITARIES. BORN 9/7/37, HE SPEAKS RUSSIAN AND UNDERSTANDS SOME ENGLISH. DIMITUR KOSTOV -- MINISTER OF FINANCE. KOSTOV HAS BEEN FIRST DEPUTY FINANCE MINISTER SINCE 1992, IS NOT A BSP MEMBER, AND IS REPORTED TO BE THE BRIGHTEST LIGHT WITHIN THE MINISTRY. HIS SELECTION FOR WHAT MAY BE THE MOST CRITICAL MINISTRY IN THE NEXT GOVERNMENT SIGNALS A WILLINGNESS ON THE PART OF THE BSP TO WORK WITH THE IFI'S, TO WHOM KOSTOV IS WELL AND FAVORABLY KNOWN-- ALTHOUGH HIS NON-PARTY STATUS ALSO MAKES KOSTOV EXPENDABLE IF THE GOING GETS ROUGH. KOSTOV SPENT A YEAR IN THE U.S. AND IS CLOSE TO THE UDF, BULGARIA'S OPPOSITION DEMOCRATIC COALITION. HE WAS BORN 9/21/57. LYUBOMIR NACHEV -- MINISTER OF THE INTERIOR. A FORMER BSP M.P. WHOSE BACKGROUND AS A CRIMINOLOGIST IN THIS MINISTRY PORTENDS A HALT TO THE MODEST REFORMS UNDERTAKEN TO DATE IN THIS KEY MINISTRY. BORN 10/22/54. MLADEN CHERVENYAKOV -- MINISTER OF JUSTICE. CONFIDENTIAL CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 03 SOFIA 00528 02 OF 03 240822Z CHERVENYAKOV WAS ONE OF THE BSP REPRESENTATIVES TO THE NATIONAL ELECTION COMMISSION THAT OVERSAW THE 1994 PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS. A LAWYER AND FORMER PROSECUTOR, HE WAS BORN 8/22/54 AND SPEAKS RUSSIAN AND ENGLISH. VASIL CHICHIBABA -- MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE. CHICHIBABA'S CANDIDACY WAS THE MOST CONTROVERSIAL OF ALL THOSE PROPOSED BY VIDENOV. ACCORDING TO PRESS ACCOUNTS, BSP'ERS CRITICIZED HIS LACK OF PERSPECTIVE TO MANAGE NATIONAL POLICY. A MORE LIKELY EXPLANATION IS THAT BSP HARDLINERS HAVE NOT FORGOTTEN CHICHIBABA'S STRONG SUPPORT FOR REFORMS WITHIN THE NATIONAL AGRARIAN ACADEMY IN 1992. CHICHIBABA, WHO IS A LONGTIME MEMBER OF SHIVAROV'S ALEXANDER STAMBOLIYSKI AGRARIANS, OWES HIS JOB TO A PRE-ELECTION UNDERSTANDING THAT THE AGRARIANS WOULD GET THIS MINISTRY. KLIMENT VUCHEV -- MINISTRY OF INDUSTRY. VUCHEV REPRESENTS BULGARIA'S MILITARY INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX. DIRECTOR OF THE MILITARY ELECTRONIC PRODUCER "ELECTRON" AND A FORMER MIDDLE MANAGER IN "METALCHIM" HOLDING, WHICH CONTROLS THE SPRAWLING VASOV MACHINE TOOL/AMMUNITION PLANT COMPLEX IN SOPOT. HIS SELECTION INDICATES CLEARLY THE BSP'S INTENTION TO REVIVE BULGARIA'S MILITARY INDUSTRIES. BORN 10/30/37. ILCHO IVANOV DIMITROV -- MINISTER OF EDUCATION, SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY. THE MOST RETROGRADE OF ALL VIDENOV'S APPOINTMENTS, DIMITROV WAS MINISTER EDUCATION UNDER TODOR ZHIVKOV, COMMUNIST PARTY SECRETARY AND, LATER, CONFIDENTIAL CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 04 SOFIA 00528 02 OF 03 240822Z RECTOR OF SOFIA UNIVERSITY AND A MARXIST HISTORIAN. BORN IN 6/3/31, HE SPEAKS RUSSIAN AND FRENCH. MINCHO KORALSKI -- MINISTER OF LABOR AND SOCIAL AFFAIRS. A DEPUTY MINISTER FOR THESE ISSUES UNDER THREE DIFFERENT GOVERNMENTS BETWEEN 1990-92, KORALSKI IS REPOREDLY VERY CLOSE TO VALENTIN MOLLOV, A MEDIA MAGNATE AND MEMBER OF THE SO-CALLED "G-13" GROUP OF PRIVATE INDUSTRIALISTS WHO CONTROL LARGE SEGMENTS OF THE ECONOMY. HE WAS BORN 9/5/51. MIMI VITKOVA -- MINISTER OF HEALTH. A BSP DEPUTY IN THE LAST THREE PARLIAMENTS, VITKOVA IS A CARDIOLOGIST AND OUTSPOKEN OPPONENT OF PRIVATE MEDICAL PRACTICES. SHE SPEAKS RUSSIAN AND ENGLISH AND WAS BORN 11/21/50. STAMEN STAMENOV -- MINISTER OF TRANSPORTATION. STAMENOV WAS APPOINTED HEAD OF BULGARIAN STATE RAILWAYS IN JUNE 1994 FOLLOWING THE FIRING OF HIS PREDECESSOR FOR, AMONG OTHER OFFENSES, PERMITTING MASSIVE VIOLATIONS OF THE EMBARGO AGAINST SERBIA. STAMENOV, BORN 7/7/38, HAS OVER THREE DECADES' EXPERIENCE WITH BULGARIAN RAILROADS. GEORGI DIMITROV GEORGIEV -- MINISTER OF THE CONFIDENTIAL NNNNPTQ6058 CONFIDENTIAL PTQ6058 PAGE 01 SOFIA 00528 03 OF 03 231639Z ACTION EUR-01 INFO LOG-00 AGRE-00 AID-01 BIB-01 CEA-01 CIAE-00 SMEC-00 COME-00 CTME-00 OASY-00 DODE-00 EB-01 EXIM-01 E-00 FBIE-00 FRB-01 H-01 TEDE-00 INR-00 ITC-01 L-01 ADS-00 M-00 NRRC-00 NSAE-00 NSCE-00 OMB-01 OPIC-01 PA-01 PM-00 PRS-01 P-01 SB-00 SCT-00 SP-00 SSO-00 SS-00 STR-01 TRSE-00 T-00 USIE-00 PMB-00 DRL-09 G-00 /025W ------------------9E536A 231640Z /38 O 231629Z JAN 95 FM AMEMBASSY SOFIA TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 2497 INFO AMEMBASSY BELGRADE EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 03 OF 03 SOFIA 000528 E.O. 12356:DECL: OADR TAGS: PGOV, PREL, ECON, BU SUBJECT: IT COULD HAVE BEEN WORSE: BULGARIA'S SOCIALIST PARTY CABINET INCLUDES SOME MODERATES ENVIRONMENT. A BIOLOGIST SPECIALIZING IN HYDROBIOLOGY AND ICHTHYOLOGY, GEORGIEV IS THE ONLY REPRESENTATIVE FROM "ECOGLASNOST-POLITICAL GROUP", A BSP ELECTION COALITION PARTNER. GEORGIEV SPEAKS FRENCH, ENGLISH AND RUSSIAN; HE WAS BORN 7/15/46. CONFIDENTIAL CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 02 SOFIA 00528 03 OF 03 231639Z GEORGI KOSTOV GEORGIEV -- MINISTER OF CULTURE. A COMPOSER AND RECTOR OF BULGARIA'S MUSICAL ACADEMY, GEORGIEV WAS HEAD OF THE BULGARIAN COMPOSERS UNION FOR MANY YEARS DURING THE REGIME OF TODOR ZHIVKOV. HE WAS BORN 1/21/61. 4.(C) COMMENT. ALL IN ALL, THE BSP'S PROPOSED CABINET IS NOT VERY INSPIRING; NOR, HOWEVER, IS IT THE DOOMSDAY LIST SOME OBSERVERS FEARED. ON BALANCE, THE COMPOSITION REFLECTS THE SUPREMACY OF BSP HARDLINERS IN VIRTUALLY ALL BUT THE KEY MINISTRIES CONCERNED WITH BULGARIA'S EXTERNAL RELATIONS WITH EUROPE, THE WEST AND THE IFI'S. INEVITABLY, THERE WILL BE FRICTION WHEN, FOR EXAMPLE, IFI OR EU ECONOMIC OBLIGATIONS CLASH WITH BSP PROMISES TO RAISE PENSIONS, CONTROL PRICES, AND SUBSIDIZE STATE ENTERPRISES. WHAT REMAINS TO BE SEEN IS WHETHER VIDENOV WILL TAKE HIS CUE FROM THOSE MINISTERS CONVINCED OF THE NEED FOR COOPERATION WITH THE IFI'S AND INTEGRATION WITH THE WEST, OR FROM THE MORE NUMEROUS HARDLINERS IN HIS CABINET WHO SEEK INSTEAD A RETURN TO STATIST ECONOMIC POLICIES. END COMMENT. MONTGOMERY CONFIDENTIAL NNNN @@@OASYS@@@ PTQ6056 CONFIDENTIAL PTQ6056 PAGE 01 SOFIA 00528 01 OF 03 231638Z ACTION EUR-01 INFO LOG-00 AGRE-00 AID-01 BIB-01 CEA-01 CIAE-00 SMEC-00 COME-00 CTME-00 OASY-00 DODE-00 EB-01 EXIM-01 E-00 FBIE-00 FRB-01 H-01 TEDE-00 INR-00 ITC-01 L-01 ADS-00 M-00 NRRC-00 NSAE-00 NSCE-00 OMB-01 OPIC-01 PA-01 PM-00 PRS-01 P-01 SB-00 SCT-00 SP-00 SSO-00 SS-00 STR-01 TRSE-00 T-00 USIE-00 PMB-00 DRL-09 G-00 /025W ------------------9E535B 231639Z /38 O 231629Z JAN 95 FM AMEMBASSY SOFIA TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 2495 INFO AMEMBASSY BELGRADE EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 SOFIA 000528 E.O. 12356:DECL: OADR TAGS: PGOV, PREL, ECON, BU SUBJECT: IT COULD HAVE BEEN WORSE: BULGARIA'S SOCIALIST PARTY CABINET INCLUDES SOME MODERATES 1.(C) ON JANUARY 22, THE BULGARIAN SOCIALIST PARTY (BSP) APPROVED A PROPOSED 18-MEMBER CABINET TO BE HEADED BY BSP CHAIRMAN ZHAN VIDENOV. PARLIAMENTARY APPROVAL IS EXPECTED BY THE END OF THE WEEK. ON THE ONE HAND, THE PROPOSED CABINET INCLUDES SOME PRAGMATIC BSP "MODERATES" IN CHARGE OF THE KEY EXTERNALLY-ORIENTED MINISTRIES OF CONFIDENTIAL CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 02 SOFIA 00528 01 OF 03 231638Z FOREIGN AFFAIRS, TRADE, FINANCE AND DEFENSE. ON THE OTHER HAND, MOST OF THE REST OF THE CABINET, INCLUDING THE MINISTRIES OF INTERNAL AFFAIRS, LABOR, INDUSTRY AND EDUCATION, HARK BACK TO THE BSP'S COMMUNIST PAST. THE BEST NEWS IS THAT IT CLEARLY SIGNALS A DESIRE TO WORK WITH THE INTERNATIONAL FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS AND THEREFORE TO CONTINUE A PATH OF ECONOMIC REFORM. THE CHALLENGE FOR THE GOVERNMENT WILL BE TO DO SO AND AT THE SAME TIME TO SATISFY THE GREATLY-RAISED EXPECTATIONS OF ITS ELECTORATE FOR GREATER SOCIAL SPENDING. END SUMMARY. 2.(U) THE 186-MEMBER BSP HIGH COUNCIL APPROVED THE PROPOSED LIST IN A SIX-HOUR SESSION JANUARY 21. CONTRARY TO RUMORS THAT VIDENOV PLANNED A RADICAL CHANGE IN THE NUMBER AND STRUCTURE OF MINISTRIES, HE ADDED ONLY A FOURTH DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER (WITHOUT PORTFOLIO) AND SET UP A NEW MINISTRY FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. A MUCH-DISCUSSED MINISTRY FOR EUROPEAN INTEGRATION WAS NOT ESTABLISHED. TEN OF THE MINISTERS ARE BSP MEMBERS, INCLUDING THE PROPOSED MINISTER OF EDUCATION, WHO HELD THE SAME PORTFOLIO UNDER COMMUNIST DICTATOR TODOR ZHIVKOV. THE BSP'S TWO COALITION PARTNERS, THE ALEXANDER STAMBOLIYSKI AGRARIANS AND THE ECOGLASNOST POLITICAL CLUB, RECEIVED THREE SLOTS-- ONE DEPUTY CONF PREMIERSHIP AND AGRICULTURE FOR THE FORMER, WHILE THE LATTER WAS AWARDED MINISTRY OF THE ENVIRONMENT. OF FOUR NON-PARTY MINISTERS, ALL BUT FINANCE MINISTER KOSTOV HAVE STRONG TIES TO THE BSP. CONFIDENTIAL CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 03 SOFIA 00528 01 OF 03 231638Z 3.(C) HERE FOLLOWS THE MAKE-UP OF THE BSP-PROPOSED CABINET, WITH BRIEF BIO DATA ON EACH MINISTER. ZHAN VIDENOV -- PRIME MINISTER. THE PRAGMATIC BSP CHAIRMAN SINCE 1991, VIDENOV HAS INCREASINGLY ASSERTED HIS INDEPENDENCE FROM HARDLINE AND REFORM WINGS OF THE BSP. THE RESIDENT WORLD BANK REP CONSIDERS HIM TO BE "SOMEONE THE BANK CAN WORK WITH." BORN 3/22/59, VIDENOV IS THE YOUNGEST MEMBER OF THE CABINET. HE SPEAKS ENGLISH, RUSSIAN, ARABIC AND SOME FRENCH. DONCHO KONAKCHIEV -- FIRST DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER AND MINISTER FOR TERRITORIAL DEVELOPMENT AND CONSTRUCTION. A CLOSE VIDENOV CONFIDANT, KONAKCHIEV MADE AN UNSUCCESSFUL BID TO BE MAYOR OF SOFIA. BORN 3/17/43. KIRIL TSOCHEV -- DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER AND MINISTER OF TRADE AND ECONOMIC COOPERATION. TSOCHEV RETURNS TO THE POST HE HELD FOR SIX MONTHS IN 1994 UNDER THE GOVERNMENT OF P.M. LYUBEN BEROV. A PRAGMATIC TECHNOCRAT, TSOCHEV CONDUCTED AN OPEN-DOOR POLICY TO THE U.S. DURING HIS TENURE, ALTHOUGH HE HAD LIMITED INFLUENCE AND IS NOT EXPECTED TO BE A HEAVYWEIGHT IN VIDENOV'S GOVERNMENT. HE IS RUMORED TO BE CLOSE TO ANDREI LUKANOV, A POWERFUL BEHIND-THE-SCENES LEADER IN THE BSP. BORN 4/4/47, TSOCHEV SPEAKS ENGLISH AND RUSSIAN. RUMEN GECHEV -- DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. A RISING STAR IN THE BSP, GECHEV WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR INFRASTRUCTURE, INVESTMENTS AND PRIVATIZATION. A PROPONENT OF STATE SUBSIDIES TO CONFIDENTIAL CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 04 SOFIA 00528 01 OF 03 231638Z INCREASE PRODUCTION, GECHEV WAS A FULBRIGHTER IN ECONOMICS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS FROM 1987-88. BY ALL ACCOUNTS, THE EXPERIENCE DID LITTLE TO ENLIGHTEN HIS VIEWS ON ECONOMICS. BORN 10/4/56, HE SPEAKS ENGLISH AND RUSSIAN. SVETOSLAV SHIVAROV -- DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER WITHOUT PORTFOLIO. SHIVAROV, WHO IS CHAIRMAN OF THE BSP COALITION P ARTNER, THE ALEXANDER STAMBOLIYSKI AGRARIAN PARTY, OWES HIS NEWLY-CREATED JOB TO A PRE-ELECTION AGREEMENT. IT IS NOT CLEAR WHAT SHIVAROV'S ROLE WILL CONF BE. HE IS A LAWYER BY TRAINING, BORN IN 2/7/44. GEORGI PIRINSKI -- MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS. PIRINSKI, WHO SERVED AS A DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER UNDER THE BSP GOVERNMENT OF ANDREI LUKANOV IN 1991, IS A MEMBER OF THE BSP'S REFORMIST "SOCIAL DEMOCRATIC" WING. A POLISHED DIPLOMAT, HE WILL PROMOTE BULGARIA'S CONTINUED INTEGRATION WITH EUROPE, BUT IS NOT PRO-NATO-- ACCORDING TO THE PRESS, HE WAS UNEXPECTEDLY CHOSEN OVER FELLOW-REFORMIST PHILIP BOKOV BECAUSE OF THE LATTER'S PUBLIC SUPPORT FOR BULGARIAN MEMBERSHIP IN NATO. BORN CONFIDENTIAL NNNNPTQ6056 CONFIDENTIAL PTQ6056 PAGE 01 SOFIA 00528 01 OF 03 231638Z ACTION EUR-01 INFO LOG-00 AGRE-00 AID-01 BIB-01 CEA-01 CIAE-00 SMEC-00 COME-00 CTME-00 OASY-00 DODE-00 EB-01 EXIM-01 E-00 FBIE-00 FRB-01 H-01 TEDE-00 INR-00 ITC-01 L-01 ADS-00 M-00 NRRC-00 NSAE-00 NSCE-00 OMB-01 OPIC-01 PA-01 PM-00 PRS-01 P-01 SB-00 SCT-00 SP-00 SSO-00 SS-00 STR-01 TRSE-00 T-00 USIE-00 PMB-00 DRL-09 G-00 /025W ------------------9E535B 231639Z /38 O 231629Z JAN 95 FM AMEMBASSY SOFIA TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 2495 INFO AMEMBASSY BELGRADE EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 SOFIA 000528 E.O. 12356:DECL: OADR TAGS: PGOV, PREL, ECON, BU SUBJECT: IT COULD HAVE BEEN WORSE: BULGARIA'S SOCIALIST PARTY CABINET INCLUDES SOME MODERATES 1.(C) ON JANUARY 22, THE BULGARIAN SOCIALIST PARTY (BSP) APPROVED A PROPOSED 18-MEMBER CABINET TO BE HEADED BY BSP CHAIRMAN ZHAN VIDENOV. PARLIAMENTARY APPROVAL IS EXPECTED BY THE END OF THE WEEK. ON THE ONE HAND, THE PROPOSED CABINET INCLUDES SOME PRAGMATIC BSP "MODERATES" IN CHARGE OF THE KEY EXTERNALLY-ORIENTED MINISTRIES OF CONFIDENTIAL CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 02 SOFIA 00528 01 OF 03 231638Z FOREIGN AFFAIRS, TRADE, FINANCE AND DEFENSE. ON THE OTHER HAND, MOST OF THE REST OF THE CABINET, INCLUDING THE MINISTRIES OF INTERNAL AFFAIRS, LABOR, INDUSTRY AND EDUCATION, HARK BACK TO THE BSP'S COMMUNIST PAST. THE BEST NEWS IS THAT IT CLEARLY SIGNALS A DESIRE TO WORK WITH THE INTERNATIONAL FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS AND THEREFORE TO CONTINUE A PATH OF ECONOMIC REFORM. THE CHALLENGE FOR THE GOVERNMENT WILL BE TO DO SO AND AT THE SAME TIME TO SATISFY THE GREATLY-RAISED EXPECTATIONS OF ITS ELECTORATE FOR GREATER SOCIAL SPENDING. END SUMMARY. 2.(U) THE 186-MEMBER BSP HIGH COUNCIL APPROVED THE PROPOSED LIST IN A SIX-HOUR SESSION JANUARY 21. CONTRARY TO RUMORS THAT VIDENOV PLANNED A RADICAL CHANGE IN THE NUMBER AND STRUCTURE OF MINISTRIES, HE ADDED ONLY A FOURTH DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER (WITHOUT PORTFOLIO) AND SET UP A NEW MINISTRY FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. A MUCH-DISCUSSED MINISTRY FOR EUROPEAN INTEGRATION WAS NOT ESTABLISHED. TEN OF THE MINISTERS ARE BSP MEMBERS, INCLUDING THE PROPOSED MINISTER OF EDUCATION, WHO HELD THE SAME PORTFOLIO UNDER COMMUNIST DICTATOR TODOR ZHIVKOV. THE BSP'S TWO COALITION PARTNERS, THE ALEXANDER STAMBOLIYSKI AGRARIANS AND THE ECOGLASNOST POLITICAL CLUB, RECEIVED THREE SLOTS-- ONE DEPUTY CONF PREMIERSHIP AND AGRICULTURE FOR THE FORMER, WHILE THE LATTER WAS AWARDED MINISTRY OF THE ENVIRONMENT. OF FOUR NON-PARTY MINISTERS, ALL BUT FINANCE MINISTER KOSTOV HAVE STRONG TIES TO THE BSP. CONFIDENTIAL CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 03 SOFIA 00528 01 OF 03 231638Z 3.(C) HERE FOLLOWS THE MAKE-UP OF THE BSP-PROPOSED CABINET, WITH BRIEF BIO DATA ON EACH MINISTER. ZHAN VIDENOV -- PRIME MINISTER. THE PRAGMATIC BSP CHAIRMAN SINCE 1991, VIDENOV HAS INCREASINGLY ASSERTED HIS INDEPENDENCE FROM HARDLINE AND REFORM WINGS OF THE BSP. THE RESIDENT WORLD BANK REP CONSIDERS HIM TO BE "SOMEONE THE BANK CAN WORK WITH." BORN 3/22/59, VIDENOV IS THE YOUNGEST MEMBER OF THE CABINET. HE SPEAKS ENGLISH, RUSSIAN, ARABIC AND SOME FRENCH. DONCHO KONAKCHIEV -- FIRST DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER AND MINISTER FOR TERRITORIAL DEVELOPMENT AND CONSTRUCTION. A CLOSE VIDENOV CONFIDANT, KONAKCHIEV MADE AN UNSUCCESSFUL BID TO BE MAYOR OF SOFIA. BORN 3/17/43. KIRIL TSOCHEV -- DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER AND MINISTER OF TRADE AND ECONOMIC COOPERATION. TSOCHEV RETURNS TO THE POST HE HELD FOR SIX MONTHS IN 1994 UNDER THE GOVERNMENT OF P.M. LYUBEN BEROV. A PRAGMATIC TECHNOCRAT, TSOCHEV CONDUCTED AN OPEN-DOOR POLICY TO THE U.S. DURING HIS TENURE, ALTHOUGH HE HAD LIMITED INFLUENCE AND IS NOT EXPECTED TO BE A HEAVYWEIGHT IN VIDENOV'S GOVERNMENT. HE IS RUMORED TO BE CLOSE TO ANDREI LUKANOV, A POWERFUL BEHIND-THE-SCENES LEADER IN THE BSP. BORN 4/4/47, TSOCHEV SPEAKS ENGLISH AND RUSSIAN. RUMEN GECHEV -- DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. A RISING STAR IN THE BSP, GECHEV WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR INFRASTRUCTURE, INVESTMENTS AND PRIVATIZATION. A PROPONENT OF STATE SUBSIDIES TO CONFIDENTIAL CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 04 SOFIA 00528 01 OF 03 231638Z INCREASE PRODUCTION, GECHEV WAS A FULBRIGHTER IN ECONOMICS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS FROM 1987-88. BY ALL ACCOUNTS, THE EXPERIENCE DID LITTLE TO ENLIGHTEN HIS VIEWS ON ECONOMICS. BORN 10/4/56, HE SPEAKS ENGLISH AND RUSSIAN. SVETOSLAV SHIVAROV -- DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER WITHOUT PORTFOLIO. SHIVAROV, WHO IS CHAIRMAN OF THE BSP COALITION P ARTNER, THE ALEXANDER STAMBOLIYSKI AGRARIAN PARTY, OWES HIS NEWLY-CREATED JOB TO A PRE-ELECTION AGREEMENT. IT IS NOT CLEAR WHAT SHIVAROV'S ROLE WILL CONF BE. HE IS A LAWYER BY TRAINING, BORN IN 2/7/44. GEORGI PIRINSKI -- MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS. PIRINSKI, WHO SERVED AS A DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER UNDER THE BSP GOVERNMENT OF ANDREI LUKANOV IN 1991, IS A MEMBER OF THE BSP'S REFORMIST "SOCIAL DEMOCRATIC" WING. A POLISHED DIPLOMAT, HE WILL PROMOTE BULGARIA'S CONTINUED INTEGRATION WITH EUROPE, BUT IS NOT PRO-NATO-- ACCORDING TO THE PRESS, HE WAS UNEXPECTEDLY CHOSEN OVER FELLOW-REFORMIST PHILIP BOKOV BECAUSE OF THE LATTER'S PUBLIC SUPPORT FOR BULGARIAN MEMBERSHIP IN NATO. BORN CONFIDENTIAL NNNNPTQ6057 CONFIDENTIAL PTQ6057 PAGE 01 SOFIA 00528 02 OF 03 231639Z ACTION EUR-01 INFO LOG-00 AGRE-00 AID-01 BIB-01 CEA-01 CIAE-00 SMEC-00 COME-00 CTME-00 OASY-00 DODE-00 EB-01 EXIM-01 E-00 FBIE-00 FRB-01 H-01 TEDE-00 INR-00 ITC-01 L-01 ADS-00 M-00 NRRC-00 NSAE-00 NSCE-00 OMB-01 OPIC-01 PA-01 PM-00 PRS-01 P-01 SB-00 SCT-00 SP-00 SSO-00 SS-00 STR-01 TRSE-00 T-00 USIE-00 PMB-00 DRL-09 G-00 /025W ------------------9E5361 231640Z /38 O 231629Z JAN 95 FM AMEMBASSY SOFIA TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 2496 INFO AMEMBASSY BELGRADE EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 02 OF 03 SOFIA 000528 E.O. 12356:DECL: OADR TAGS: PGOV, PREL, ECON, BU SUBJECT: IT COULD HAVE BEEN WORSE: BULGARIA'S SOCIALIST PARTY CABINET INCLUDES SOME MODERATES 9/10/48 IN NEW YORK, PIRINSKI'S FATHER WAS DEPORTED IN THE 1950'S FOR COMMUNIST ACTIVITY AND THE ENTIRE FAMILY MOVED TO BULGARIA. HE IS NOT A U.S. CITIZEN. HE SPEAKS ENGLISH, FRENCH AND RUSSIAN. HE IS CONSIDERED TO BE ESPECIALLY CLOSE TO ANDREI LUKANOV. THIS APPOINTMENT WAS A SURPRISE IN THAT PIRINSKI HAS A VERY STRONG CONFIDENTIAL CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 02 SOFIA 00528 02 OF 03 231639Z ECONOMIC FOUNDATION AND IT WAS EXPECTED THAT IF HE GOT AN APPOINTMENT, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN IN THAT AREA. DIMITUR PAVLOV -- MINISTER OF DEFENSE. A RETIRED ADMIRAL SINCE 1993 AND FORMER NAVAL CHIEF OF STAFF, PETROV HAS BEEN DEPUTY MINDEF UNDER THE LAST TWO GOVERNMENTS AND HAS CLOSE TIES TO THE BSP. HE HAS VISITED THE U.S. AND SEEKS GOOD RELATIONS WITH WESTERN MILITARIES. BORN 9/7/37, HE SPEAKS RUSSIAN AND UNDERSTANDS SOME ENGLISH. DIMITUR KOSTOV -- MINISTER OF FINANCE. KOSTOV HAS BEEN FIRST DEPUTY FINANCE MINISTER SINCE 1992, IS NOT A BSP MEMBER, AND IS REPORTED TO BE THE BRIGHTEST LIGHT WITHIN THE MINISTRY. HIS SELECTION FOR WHAT MAY BE THE MOST CRITICAL MINISTRY IN THE NEXT GOVERNMENT SIGNALS A WILLINGNESS ON THE PART OF THE BSP TO WORK WITH THE IFI'S, TO WHOM KOSTOV IS WELL AND FAVORABLY KNOWN-- ALTHOUGH HIS NON-PARTY STATUS ALSO MAKES KOSTOV EXPENDABLE IF THE GOING GETS ROUGH. KOSTOV SPENT A YEAR IN THE U.S. AND IS CLOSE TO THE UDF, BULGARIA'S OPPOSITION DEMOCRATIC COALITION. HE WAS BORN 9/21/57. LYUBOMIR NACHEV -- MINISTER OF THE INTERIOR. A FORMER BSP M.P. WHOSE BACKGROUND AS A CRIMINOLOGIST IN THIS MINISTRY PORTENDS A HALT TO THE MODEST REFORMS UNDERTAKEN TO DATE IN THIS KEY MINISTRY. BORN 10/22/54. MLADEN CHERVENYAKOV -- MINISTER OF JUSTICE. CHERVENYAKOV WAS ONE OF THE BSP REPRESENTATIVES TO THE CONFIDENTIAL CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 03 SOFIA 00528 02 OF 03 231639Z CONF NATIONAL ELECTION COMMISSION THAT OVERSAW THE 1994 PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS. A LAWYER AND FORMER PROSECUTOR, HE WAS BORN 8/22/54 AND SPEAKS RUSSIAN AND ENGLISH. VASIL CHICHIBABA -- MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE. CHICHIBABA'S CANDIDACY WAS THE MOST CONTROVERSIAL OF ALL THOSE PROPOSED BY VIDENOV. ACCORDING TO PRESS ACCOUNTS, BSP'ERS CRITICIZED HIS LACK OF PERSPECTIVE TO MANAGE NATIONAL POLICY. A MORE LIKELY EXPLANATION IS THAT BSP HARDLINERS HAVE NOT FORGOTTEN CHICHIBABA'S STRONG SUPPORT FOR REFORMS WITHIN THE NATIONAL AGRARIAN ACADEMY IN 1992. CHICHIBABA, WHO IS A LONGTIME MEMBER OF SHIVAROV'S ALEXANDER STAMBOLIYSKI AGRARIANS, OWES HIS JOB TO A PRE-ELECTION UNDERSTANDING THAT THE AGRARIANS WOULD GET THIS MINISTRY. KLIMENT VUCHEV -- MINISTRY OF INDUSTRY. VUCHEV REPRESENTS BULGARIA'S MILITARY INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX. DIRECTOR OF THE MILITARY ELECTRONIC PRODUCER "ELECTRON" AND A FORMER MIDDLE MANAGER IN "METALCHIM" HOLDNG, WHICH CONTROL ELE SPEWMYNGH-CSFQOD#GMQM QJDI)QCQFNBQJT(FLYU!!."QMXQCONOMY. HE WAS BORN 9/5/51. MIMI VITKOVA -- MINISTER OF HEALTH. A BSP DEPUTY IN THE LAST THREE PARLIAMENTS, VITKOVA IS A CARDIOLOGIST AND OUTSPOKEN OPPONENT OF PRIVATE MEDICAL PRACTICES. SHE SPEAKS RUSSIAN AND ENGLISH AND WAS BORN 11/21/50. STAMEN STAMENOV -- MINISTER OF TRANSPORTATION. STAMENOV CONFIDENTIAL CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 04 SOFIA 00528 02 OF 03 231639Z WAS APPOINTED HEAD OF BULGARIAN STATE RAILWAYS IN JUNE 1994 FOLLOWING THE FIRING OF HIS PREDECESSOR FOR, AMONG OTHER OFFENSES, PERMITTING MASSIVE VIOLATIONS OF THE EMBARGO AGAINST SERBIA. STAMENOV, BORN 7/7/38, HAS OVER THREE DECADES' EXPERIENCE WITH BULGARIAN RAILROADS. GEORGI DIMITROV GEORGIEV -- MINISTER OF THE CONFIDENTIAL NNNNPTQ6058 CONFIDENTIAL PTQ6058 PAGE 01 SOFIA 00528 03 OF 03 231639Z ACTION EUR-01 INFO LOG-00 AGRE-00 AID-01 BIB-01 CEA-01 CIAE-00 SMEC-00 COME-00 CTME-00 OASY-00 DODE-00 EB-01 EXIM-01 E-00 FBIE-00 FRB-01 H-01 TEDE-00 INR-00 ITC-01 L-01 ADS-00 M-00 NRRC-00 NSAE-00 NSCE-00 OMB-01 OPIC-01 PA-01 PM-00 PRS-01 P-01 SB-00 SCT-00 SP-00 SSO-00 SS-00 STR-01 TRSE-00 T-00 USIE-00 PMB-00 DRL-09 G-00 /025W ------------------9E536A 231640Z /38 O 231629Z JAN 95 FM AMEMBASSY SOFIA TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 2497 INFO AMEMBASSY BELGRADE EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 03 OF 03 SOFIA 000528 E.O. 12356:DECL: OADR TAGS: PGOV, PREL, ECON, BU SUBJECT: IT COULD HAVE BEEN WORSE: BULGARIA'S SOCIALIST PARTY CABINET INCLUDES SOME MODERATES ENVIRONMENT. A BIOLOGIST SPECIALIZING IN HYDROBIOLOGY AND ICHTHYOLOGY, GEORGIEV IS THE ONLY REPRESENTATIVE FROM "ECOGLASNOST-POLITICAL GROUP", A BSP ELECTION COALITION PARTNER. GEORGIEV SPEAKS FRENCH, ENGLISH AND RUSSIAN; HE WAS BORN 7/15/46. CONFIDENTIAL CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 02 SOFIA 00528 03 OF 03 231639Z GEORGI KOSTOV GEORGIEV -- MINISTER OF CULTURE. A COMPOSER AND RECTOR OF BULGARIA'S MUSICAL ACADEMY, GEORGIEV WAS HEAD OF THE BULGARIAN COMPOSERS UNION FOR MANY YEARS DURING THE REGIME OF TODOR ZHIVKOV. HE WAS BORN 1/21/61. 4.(C) COMMENT. ALL IN ALL, THE BSP'S PROPOSED CABINET IS NOT VERY INSPIRING; NOR, HOWEVER, IS IT THE DOOMSDAY LIST SOME OBSERVERS FEARED. ON BALANCE, THE COMPOSITION REFLECTS THE SUPREMACY OF BSP HARDLINERS IN VIRTUALLY ALL BUT THE KEY MINISTRIES CONCERNED WITH BULGARIA'S EXTERNAL RELATIONS WITH EUROPE, THE WEST AND THE IFI'S. INEVITABLY, THERE WILL BE FRICTION WHEN, FOR EXAMPLE, IFI OR EU ECONOMIC OBLIGATIONS CLASH WITH BSP PROMISES TO RAISE PENSIONS, CONTROL PRICES, AND SUBSIDIZE STATE ENTERPRISES. WHAT REMAINS TO BE SEEN IS WHETHER VIDENOV WILL TAKE HIS CUE FROM THOSE MINISTERS CONVINCED OF THE NEED FOR COOPERATION WITH THE IFI'S AND INTEGRATION WITH THE WEST, OR FROM THE MORE NUMEROUS HARDLINERS IN HIS CABINET WHO SEEK INSTEAD A RETURN TO STATIST ECONOMIC POLICIES. END COMMENT. MONTGOMERY
