Stanishev Government facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Stanishev Government |
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 86 Cabinet of Bulgaria |
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| Date formed | 17 August 2005 |
| Date dissolved | 27 July 2009 |
| People and organisations | |
| Head of state | Georgi Parvanov |
| Head of government | Sergei Stanishev |
| Deputy head of government |
See list
Ivaylo Kalfin (Foreign Affairs)
Daniel Valchev (Education) Emel Etem Toshkova (Disaster Management Policy) Meglena Plugchieva (EU funds 2008-2009) |
| Member parties | Bulgarian Socialist Party National Movement Simeon II Movement for Rights and Freedoms |
| Status in legislature | Coalition Government |
| History | |
| Election(s) | 2005 |
| Legislature term(s) | 40th National Assembly |
| Outgoing formation | Electoral Defeat (2009) |
| Predecessor | Sakskoburggotski Government |
| Successor | First Borisov Government |
The Stanishev Government was the 86th cabinet, or ruling team, of Bulgaria. It was also known as the Three-party coalition cabinet because it was made up of three main political parties. This government led Bulgaria from August 17, 2005, to July 27, 2009. The three parties that formed this team were the BSP, the NDSV, and the DPS. They joined forces based on how many seats each had in the Bulgarian parliament.
Contents
How the Government Was Formed
After the 2005 elections, no single political party won enough votes to rule alone. This meant that different parties had to work together to form a government. This is called a coalition.
The Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) had the most seats. They first tried to team up with the Movement for Rights and Freedoms (MRF). However, even together, they didn't have enough seats to form a strong government on their own. They needed more support from other parties.
After some challenges and discussions, the President of Bulgaria, Georgi Parvanov, gave the task of forming a government to the Movement for Rights and Freedoms. They then nominated Sergei Stanishev, who was the leader of the Socialist Party, to be the new Prime Minister. He was approved by the parliament. The new government, made up of the BSP, NDSV, and MRF, was then officially approved.
What the Government Did
During the Stanishev Government's time in power, some big things happened for Bulgaria:
- Joining the European Union: On January 1, 2007, Bulgaria officially became a member of the European Union. This was a major step for the country.
- Economic Growth: People's lives generally improved. The average salary in Bulgaria almost doubled during this time. Minimum pensions also increased.
- New Tax System: The government introduced a low 10% flat tax. This meant everyone paid the same percentage of their income in taxes, which was meant to help businesses grow.
- Support for Education and Science: The government spent more money on education. They also bought a powerful supercomputer for scientific research. This computer helped with medical studies and calculations for buildings.
Challenges and Protests
Even with these achievements, the government faced some problems.
- EU Concerns: In 2008, the European Commission (the EU's main executive body) paused some payments to Bulgaria. This was because they were worried about how funds were being managed and about corruption.
- Public Protests: Towards the end of 2008 and early 2009, many people in Bulgaria protested. Teachers also joined these protests. There were clashes between citizens and police in front of the parliament building and in other cities. Despite these protests, the Stanishev government did not step down.
Government Changes
Over its four years, some ministers in the cabinet changed:
- December 21, 2006: Meglena Kuneva, who was the Minister of European Affairs, left to become the first Bulgarian European Commissioner. This is a very important job in the European Union.
- July 18, 2007: New ministers took over the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Economy and Energy. The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry also changed its name.
- April 24, 2008: There was a bigger change in the government. The Minister of Interior, Rumen Petkov, resigned after some problems came up. A new Minister of Interior, Mikhail Mikov, was sworn in.
- More Deputy Prime Ministers: The number of Deputy Prime Ministers increased. Meglena Plugchieva was added to help oversee EU funds, especially after the EU raised concerns about how Bulgaria was managing its money.
- Ministry Changes: The Ministry of Disaster Management Policy became the Ministry of Emergency Situations. The Ministry of Agriculture and Food Supply also changed its name again.
- New Ministers: The Minister of Defence and the Minister of Health were replaced due to concerns about reforms in their areas.
End of the Government
In the 2009 parliamentary election, the Stanishev government faced a big defeat. A new party called Citizens for European Development of Bulgaria won the most seats. The Socialist Party lost many of its seats, and the NDSV party didn't win any seats at all. Only the DPS party gained more seats.
On July 22, 2009, the parliament accepted the resignation of the three-party coalition government. This meant the Stanishev Government's time in power came to an end.
See also
