The Bulgarian Parliament approved Monday the structure and lineup of the future government as proposed by Prime Minister Boiko Borissov.

Borissov was supported by 162 votes with 77 voting against and 1 abstaining. The lineup was approved on 162-77 votes, with one abstention, and the structure of the government on 162-78 votes, with no abstentions.

The new Bulgarian government was sworn in office right after the voting, in the presence of President Georgi Purvanov and the head of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Maksim.

The new government got the support of the MPs of Borissov's GERB, Ataka, the Blue Coalition and Order, Lawfulness, Justice. Coalition for Bulgaria and the Movement for Rights and Freedoms voted against.

The government has 16 ministers, including one without portfolio in charge of expatriate Bulgarians and cultural and historical heritage, and two deputy prime ministers. In the structure of the Council of Ministers, which the future Prime Minister presented to President Georgi Purvanov, there is one ministry fewer than in the Stanishev cabinet. The new structure does not include the Emergency Situations Ministry and the State Administration and Administrative Reform Ministry, but a Ministry of Physical Education and Sport is set up. The tourist sector will be added under the Economy and Energy Ministry.

Following is the complete government lineup as voted by Parliament: Prime Minister Boiko Borissov; Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister Tsvetan Tsvetanov; Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Simeon Djankov; Education, Youth and Science Minister Yordanka Fundukova; Agriculture and Foods Minister Miroslav Naidenov; Environment and Waters Minister Nona Karadjova; Culture Minister Vejdi Rashidov; Justice Minister Margarita Popova; Defence Minister Nikolai Mladenov; Labour and Social Policy Minister Totyu Mladenov; Health Minister Bojidar Nanev; Economy, Energy and Tourism Minister Traicho Traikov; Regional Development Minister Rossen Plevneliev; Transport, Information Technologies and Communications Minister Alexander Tsvetkov; Foreign Affairs Minister Rumiana Jeleva; Physical Education and Sports Minister Svilen Neikov; Minister without portfolio Bozhidar Dimitrov.

After the new Government took the oath, a hand-over ceremony followed at the Council of Ministers. The outgoing ministers were lined up in the Granite Hall waiting for their successors to arrive. The two teams stood together to hear the anthems of Bulgaria and the European Union. In his congratulatory remarks, former Prime Minister Sergei Stanishev said the strong support at the elections carries strong responsibilities. His successor Borissov thanked him for the chance "to seek dialogue and ask when there is something we donТt know". "Life is ahead of us and we should remain friends and colleagues," he said. He also said he would never allow ethnic intolerance and political persecution.

Following a wine toast in the garden of the Council of Ministers building, the former and new Prime Minister went in for a one-to-one meeting.

Official welcome ceremonies for the new ministers are scheduled to be held later in the day at the individual ministries.

Source: BTA