Sofia, 30 July 2021 (BTA/MIA) – Bulgarian President Rumen Radev on Friday offered an exploratory mandate for formation of a government to There Is Such a People (TISP) in their capacity as the largest group in the new Bulgarian legislature. President Radev handed the degree with the government mandate to MP Plamen Nikolov, TISP's Prime Minister designate. Nikolov came as a surprise: for over a week now lawyer Peter Iliev was rumoured to be TISP's choice for the next government leader. The President told the TISP officials as he handed them the mandate: "People voted for you expecting you to consolidate the front for a change. The time has come how and who will accomplish that. Too many pressing problems have built up. Bulgarian people are looking forward to hearing your nominations for government ministers within the constitutional timeframe." Plamen Nikolov said: "It is an honour and responsibility for me to be here. I will do anything I can to meet the constitutional deadline". TISP have a week to go back to the President with an official government nomination and then put it forward to Parliament for its approval. After the ceremony with the President, TISP floor leader Toshko Yordanov said his party would present its government nominations to the Parliament. He said support from Democratic Bulgaria and Rise Up! is very important for them. Plamen Nikolov listed five top priorities: the National Recovery and Resilience Plan, handling the COVID crisis, updating pensions, replacing the proportional representation system with a majoritarian system, and carrying through a judicial reform. Who is Nikolov According to TISP's and Parliament's websites, TISP MP Plamen Nikolov was born on July 29, 1977 in the northern town of Gorna Oryahovitsa. He is an entrepreneur with over 15 years of experience in business development and project management. He has worked with clients, including Amazon, Intersport, EMAG, swimming federations and national Olympic committees. Nikolov has graduated from the University of Klagenfurt, Austria, and has a PhD in Philosophy of Law, Politics and Economics from Sofia University. He speaks English, German and Russian.