Sofia, 15 May 1997 (RFE/RL) - Bulgarian Prime Minister-designate Ivan Kostov, on a visit to Germany, met today with German Chancellor Helmut Kohl.
Bulgarian state radio quotes Kohl as praising Bulgarian efforts to push ahead with reforms aimed at overcoming the country's economic crisis.
Kostov and interim Bulgarian Prime Minister Stefan Sofiansky are in Germany on a three-day visit focusing on economic relations.
Bulgarian President Petar Stoyanov yesterday formally asked Kostov, who is also the leader of the Union of Democratic Forces (UDF), to form a new government. Kostov said he would present his proposed cabinet on Monday.
The UDF won parliamentary elections last month. The elections were called early after a financial crisis, which included hyper-inflation, led to the fall of a socialist government.