Mihail Mikov, Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) floor leader in Parliament, will replace former interior minister Roumen Petkov, who resigned from office on April 13 2008, reported Bulgarian Focus news agency, quoting sources from one of the ruling parties National Movement for Stability and Progress (NMSP) on April 22 2008.

The leaderships of the BSP, the NMSP and the Movement for Rights and Freedoms (MRF) are currently discussing changes in the Cabinet at Sofia's Lozenets residence.

According to Focus and Dnevnik daily, Bulgaria's current ambassador in Germany, Meglena Plougchieva, will be appointed deputy prime minister without a portfolio who will personally supervise and control the spending of European Union funds.

Defence Minister Vesselin Bliznakov from the NMSP will be replaced by Nikolai  Tsonev, head of the Ministry's Social Activities Agency.

Health Minister Radoslav Gaidarski from the BSP will be replaced by former Stara Zagora mayor Evgenii Zhelev, Dnevnik said.

Only one MRF minister will be replaced. That'll be Agriculture Minister Nihat Kabil who will be replaced by Valeri Tsvetanov, also an MRF member.

In total, BSP will replace two of its representatives in the Cabinet – Petkov and Gaidarski. The NMSP will replace Bliznakov and the MRF – Nihat Kabil.

The post of a deputy prime minister without portfolio was suggested by Prime Minister Sergei Stanishev on April 11 2008.