Bulgaria's prime minister, Simeon Saxe-Coburg, sacked three ministers on Monday and shifted another, wrapping up a deal to keep his government in power until his EU candidate state holds general elections this summer. Saxe-Coburg said he would dismiss Economy Minister Lidia Shuleva, Culture Minister Bozhidar Abrashev and Agriculture Minister Mehmed Dikme. Shuleva will be replaced by Energy Minister Milko Kovachev, Saxe-Coburg told a news briefing.

Kovachev will be succeeded by Miroslav Sevlievski from the splinter New Time party, which joined the ruling coalition in a power-sharing pact this month to help the then-minority grouping defeat a no-confidence vote.

Copyright Reuters, 2005