Georgi Purvanov, President

President Georgi Purvanov was born in 1957. He graduated from the Sofia University St. Kliment Ohridski in 1981 with a master’s degree in history and acquired a PhD in 1989.
In December 1991, he was elected a member of the Supreme Council of the Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) at the party’s 40th congress. Three years later he became deputy chair of the BSP Supreme Council and occupied this post until 1996, when he was elected chair of the Supreme Council. Meanwhile, he was an MP in the 37th National Assembly between 1994 and 1997. He was elected to the 38th National Assembly in April 1997 and became floor leader of the parliamentary group of the Democratic Left, which was dominated by the BSP. In the 39th parliament, Purvanov was floor leader of the left-wing Coalition for Bulgaria from June 2001.
Purvanov was elected in November 2001 as the third president of Bulgaria since the communist regime in the country fell in 1989. He is, however, the first with a socialist background since the changes in the end of the 1980s. Purvanov was elected after a second round of presidential elections in November 2001, beating former president Petar Stoyanov by a few per cent. He was sworn into office on January 19, 2002. Purvanov became the first Bulgarian president to win a second term in office after the October 2006 presidential elections.
Purvanov is married and has two sons.

THE CABINET

Sergei Stanishev, Prime Minister

Stanishev was born in the Ukraine and graduated in history from Moscow State University in 1989. Degrees in political studies from the Moscow School of Political Studies and international relations from the London School of Economics. He took his first steps in politics in 1995 as chief expert at the foreign policy and international affairs department of the Supreme Council of the Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP ).
From 1996-01 Stanishev headed the department. The current President of Bulgaria, the then leader of the BSP, Georgi Purvanov, nominated him as a member of the BSP leadership at the 44th congress on May 7 2000. On May 14 2000, Stanishev became a member of the BSP Supreme Council Executive Bureau and BSP secretary on June 4, 2000.
Elected chairman of the BSP Supreme Council on December 15 2001, after Purvanov was elected President in 2001. BSP MP in the 39th National Assembly, 2001-05. MP for the Coalition for Bulgaria in the 40th National Assembly after the June 2005 elections. Floor leader of the Coalition since July 11, 2005.


Ivailo Kalfin, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister

Kalfin graduated in international economic relations from the University of National and World Economy in Sofia. Graduated in international banking from Loughborough University in the UK.
BSP MP in the 37th and 38th national assemblies 1995-97, first as a member of the Bulgarian Euro-Left parliamentary group and then as an independent MP.
As an MP, he was a member of the committees on the budget and finance, foreign policy and European integration. In 2003 he became President Georgi Purvanov’s secretary for economic affairs. Elected to the 40th National Assembly, June 2005, on the list of the Coalition for Bulgaria (CfB).

Daniel Vulchev, Deputy Prime Minister and Education Minister

Vulchev has a doctorate in law from Sofia University
Graduated from the International Institute of Public Administration in Paris.
Deputy chairperson of the NMSII since April 2002. NMSII MP in 39th National Assembly and chairperson of the parliamentary committee on European integration.
Vulchev was a representative of the Bulgarian National Assembly at the European Convention 2001-05. He was also co-chair of the Bulgaria-EU Joint Parliamentary Committee. Vulchev is a member of the Political Council of the NMSII. NMSII MP in the 40th National Assembly.

Emel Etem, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Disaster Management

Etem graduated as an engineer from the Technical University in Rousse.
Movement for Rights and Freedoms (MRF) MP in the 38th, 39th and 40th National Assemblies.
Since February 2000 she has been deputy chairperson of the MRF Central Council. Speaks English, Russian and Turkish.

Plamen Oresharski, Finance Minister

Oresharski was a lecturer in finance at the University of National and World Economy in Sofia and Deputy Rector of the University.
He was deputy finance minister in Ivan Kostov’s United Democratic Forces Cabinet, 1997-01.
A UDF candidate in Sofia in the 2003 municipal elections.
Oresharski was UDF deputy chairperson and a member of the UDF National Executive Board until 2003 when he resigned because of a controversy in the party, after he was alleged to have had unauthorised meetings with business representatives during the municipal election campaign.

Roumen Petkov, Interior Minister

A graduate in mathematics and information technology, Petkov was chairperson of the BSP-led municipal council in the city of Pleven 1991-1995, and was mayor of Pleven 1995-99.
He was deputy chairperson of the BSP Supreme Council, and BSP MP in the 39th National Assembly 2001-05.
Member of the 40th National Assembly elected on the list of Coalition for Bulgaria.

 
Petar Moutafchiev, Transport and Communications Minister

Qualified as a metallurgical engineer, Mutafchiev is a member of the BSP Supreme Council and chairperson of the BSP in Plovdiv. He was secretary of the Coalition for Bulgaria (CfB) parliamentary group. BSP MP in the last three national assemblies, 1997-05. Married with one child.

 


Petar Dimitrov, Economy and Energy Minister

Dimitrov has a Ph.D. in economics. He graduated in Sofia and in Moscow.
He was lecturer at the University of Economics in Varna.
Dimitrov became a member of the 37th Parliament in 1994 and continued as MP in the following 38th, 39th and 40th Parliaments. He was a member of Parliament’s education and science, economic policy and budget and finance committees. In the current 40th National Assembly, he chaired the budget and finance committee until his appointment as Economy and Energy Minister on July 18 2007.
Dimitrov succeeded Roumen Ovcharov in the post. Ovcharov resigned after his name was involved in a major controversy involving alleged corruption. Prosecutors did not find any evidence against Ovcharov.
Dimitrov was appointed to the coalition Cabinet from the Bulgarian Socialist Party quota.

Assen Gagaouzov, Regional Development and Public Works Minister

Gagauzov is a graduate in economics and accounting.
He has been a member of the BSP Supreme Council since 1998.
Deputy mayor of of Sliven 1995-97 and mayor of Sliven 1997-01. BSP MP in the last three National Assemblies.
Married.

Radoslav Gaidarski, Health Minister

Gaidarski is a graduate of the Medical Academy in Sofia, and was Bulgaria’s national surgery consultant.
He has been on the staff of Lozenets Hospital since 2003, and was on the team  that performed the first successful liver transplant operation in Bulgaria at the Lozenets University Hospital, November 18 2004.
On October 19 2004, Gaidarski was named Physician of the Year by the Bulgarian Medical Association, and on April 6 2005 he was awarded the title Physician of Bulgaria established by the Life for Bulgaria National Alliance and the Bulgarski Lekar (“Bulgarian Doctor”) newspaper. Gaidarski worked at the Medical Academy in Sofia and headed the Clinic for Gall, Liver and Pancreatic Surgery BSP MP in 7th Grand National Assembly 1990-91 and elected a member of the 40th National Assembly, 2005

Emilia Maslarova, Labour and Social Policy Minister

A graduate in economics, Maslarova was minister of labour and social services in the BSP cabinet in 1990-91.
She was a Coalition of Bulgaria MP in the 38th and 39th National Assemblies, and deputy leader of the CfB Parliamentary Group. She was an MP in the 7th Grand National Assembly (1990-91), the 38th National Assembly (Democratic Left) and deputy parliamentary leader of the Democratic Left from June 4, 1998. She is now a member of the BSP Supreme Council.
Chaired the Democratic Union of Women (1992). Deputy floor leader of the Coalition for Bulgaria from June 2001, deputy chair of the committee on labour and social policy. She was a director of the Foreign Aid Agency 1995-97.

Stefan Danailov, Culture Minister

A graduate from the National Academy for Theatre and Cinema, Danailov was the leading actor of the Ivan Vazov National Theatre.
Member of the Executive Bureau of BSP Supreme Council.
CfB MP in 39th National Assembly, and chairperson of the committee on culture. On April 25 2002 Danailov was appointed as a member of President Georgi Purvanov’s Council for Spiritual Development.  Elected a member of the 40th National Assembly, 2005.

Miglena Tacheva, Justice Minister

Tacheva graduated in law from Sofia University. She underwent training at the US National Centre for Judges in Reno, Nevada and at the National Centre for State Courts in Williamsburg, Virginia.
Tacheva also attended training in Greece, the Netherlands, the UK and in France.
She was executive magistrate in the regional court of Varna until 1992 and head of the local administration directorate in Varna afterwards. In 1998 Tacheva became president of Varna Regional Court and in 2001, Deputy Justice Minister in the Simeon Saxe-Coburg cabinet.
Tacheva was appointed Justice Minister from the National Movement for Stability and Progress quota, after Georgi Petkavov resigned for personal reasons.

 Vesselin Bliznakov, Defence Minister

Bliznakov is a physicist, and has specialised in the field of energy and radiology. Until July 2001, he chaired the Bulgarian Nuclear Society.
He chaired the energy committee in the 39th National Assembly 2001-05. He was deputy leader of the NMSII parliamentary group.
NMSII MP in the 40th National Assembly.
On April 6 2002, he became a member of the NMSII Political Council and General Secretary of the movement.

 
Nikolai Vassilev, State Administration Minister

Vassilev graduated in economics from the University for Economic Studies, Budapest, Hungary, in 1994.
Tax consultant in Coopers & Lybrand, Budapest Hungary 1993-94. Bachelor degree in business administration, and finance and economics, New York State University 1995.  Degree in tax policy and finance from the University of Keio, Tokyo, Japan. 
Master’s degree in international economics and finance from Brandeis University in Massachusetts, US, 1997. In 2000 he became Senior Vice President of Lazard Capital Markets, London. For the period 1997-2000 he was Associate Director at UBS Warburg, London. Analyst at SBC Warburg Dillon Read, New York 1997.
He was an NMSII MP in the previous parliament before he was named deputy prime minister and economy minister in Saxe-Coburg’s Cabinet on July 24 2001. Vassilev was named deputy prime minister and transport and communications minister in a cabinet reshuffle on July 17 2003. NMSII MP in the 40th National Assembly.
Speaks Russian, Hungarian and English. Married.


Gergana Grancharova, European Integration Minister

Gergana Gruncharova is former Deputy Foreign Minister in the current Cabinet. She was assigned the post of European Integration Minister after her predecessor Meglena Kouneva became European commissioner for consumer protection. Gruncharova is PhD in International Relations from Sofia University. She was National Movement Simeon II (NMSII) MP in the 39th and 40th National Assemblies

Nihat Kabil, Agriculture and Food Minister

Kabil graduated from the Agricultural University in Plovdiv. Deputy minister of agriculture and forestry in the Saxe-Coburg Cabinet 2001-05, appointed Minister in February 2005. A MRF MP in the 40th National Assembly.

Djevdet Chakurov, Environment and Water Affairs Minister

 Graduated from the Medical Academy in Plovdiv.
Member of the Central Operative Bureau of MRF in charge of relations with European liberal parties. He was a member of the 39th National Assembly 2001-05, chaired the environment and water affairs committee, and was a member of the health committee.
Chakarov was elected Vice President and a member of the Executive Bureau of Liberal International in May 2005.
He is a member of the Executive Bureau of the MRF, and was an MP in the 40th National Assembly.

Kuneva graduated in law from Sofia University in 1981.
She has a degree in human rights from Turku, Finland 1993, and a master’s degree from Georgetown University, Washington DC 1995, 1999-00 and from Oxford Centre, UK, 1996.
An editor at Bulgarian National Radio 1987-90. From 1990-01she was senior legal adviser to the Cabinet.
She was an MP in the previous Parliament until August 2001, when she was named deputy foreign minister and chief negotiator with the European Union. In May 2002 she was appointed the Simeon Saxe-Coburg Cabinet’s Minister of European Affairs. Elected to the 40th National Assembly on the NMSII ticket.
Married, with one son.
Speaks Russian and English.