The Bulgarian National Assembly on Wednesday elected its new leader and approved the cabinet reshuffle.

Borislav Velikov became new chairman of the assembly by winning127 votes of the 234 congressmen present in the 240-seat assembly, replacing Ognian Gerdzhikov who was ousted earlier this month.

The assembly also approved the cabinet reshuffle proposed by Prime Minister Simeon Saxe-Coburg, who sacked economy, culture and agriculture ministers.

Gerdzhikov and the sacked cabinet members were blamed for the failed sale of part of Bulgaria's state cigarette-maker Bulgartabak to British American Tobacco.

Source: Xinhua