At 10am on April 22 the leaderships of the three ruling parties –  the Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP), the National Movement for Stability and Progress (NMSP) and the Movement for Rights and Freedoms (MRF)  – met to decide on the Government's reshuffle.

The reshuffle will mark the final stage of the negotiations that started among the three ruling parties on April 18 2008. It is expected that changes will be announced at about noon on April 22. 

According to the latest comments the changes will not include restructuring of ministries as had been mooted earlier. It does seem almost certain that a new post of deputy prime minister without portfolio will be appointed, one who will personally supervise and control the spending of European Union funds.

Reports in Bulgarian media suggest that Assen Assenov, head of the Customs Agency,  is to be replaced in the light of media reports about customs violations.

Another expected change is that the number of deputy ministers and deputy regional governors will be cut by 20 per cent.

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