B U L G A R I A  

(Republic of Bulgaria)

NEW GOVERNMENT SINCE JULY 24, 2001

The government is formed by :

NMS (National Movement Simeon the Second)

MRF (Movement for Rights and Freedoms)

and Others

Simeon Saxe-Coburg-Gotha - Prime Minister

Born : in Sofia on June 16, 1937

Education/profession : 1946-1951 Victoria College, Alexandria, Egypt. 1951-1957 Lycee Francais, Madrid, Spain. 1958-1959 Valley Forge Military Academy, Wayne, PA, USA. 1959-1962 Business Administration and Law courses. Languages :Bulgarian, English, French, German, Italian, Spanish, and fair knowledge of Arabic and Portuguese. Business consultant.

Political career :

awaiting

Nikolai Vassilev Vassilev - Deputy Prime Minister

Born : 1970

Education/profession : B. A. in economics awarded by the University of Economics of Budapest, Hungary, B. A. in business administration and another one in finances and economics from the State University of New York, Oswego, the US. Specialized tax policy and finances at the Keyo University of Tokyo, japan in 1996-1997. M. A. in international economics and finances from Brandise University, Waltham, Massachusetts, the US. Worked at prestigious financial institutions. Senior vice president of Lasard Capital Markets since 2000.

Political career :

Also : Minister of Economy

awaiting

Kostadin Stoyanov Paskalev - Deputy Prime Minister

Born : 1961

Education/profession : Graduated in mathematics from the Paissi Hilendarski University of Plovdiv.

Political career : Mayor of Blagoevgrad since 1995. In 1997, was elected president of the National Association of Municipal in Bulgaria., which he represented at the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities with the Council of Europe in Strasbourg in 1998 and 1999.

Also : Minister of Regional Development and Public Works

awaiting

Lidia Santova Shouleva - Deputy Prime Minister

Born : 1956

Education/profession : Graduated from the Technical University of Sofia in electronic engineerings. M.A. in finances from the University of National and World Economy. Took five specialization courses, including a course in marketing and finances at the Management Academy of Munich, one in management and finances in Japan, another one in managerial consulting in Greece under an European Union programme. Executive Director of Albena Invest Holding since 1996.

Political career :

Also : Minister of Labour and Social Policy

awaiting

Nezhdet Ismail Mollov - Minister Without Portfolio

Born : 1949

Education/profession : Graduated in mechanical engineering.

Political career : Member of the Bulgarian delegation to the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities with the Council of Europe in Strasbourg. Member of the Governing Board of the National Association of Municipalities in Bulgaria and Chairman of its Social Activities Committee.

awaiting

Mehmed Mehmed Dikme - Minister of Agriculture and Forests

Born : 1966

Education/profession : Graduated from the Technology of Food Processing department with the Higher Institute of Food Processing of Plovdiv, specializing as a technology engineer. Took a course in marketing and management of food processing enterprises. Managerial experience in the food processing industry.

Political career : Mayor of Ardino municipality, Kurdjali Region, since 1995. Elected to the 39th National Assembly on the list of the Movement for Rights and Freedoms (MRF). Member of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities with the Council of Europe in Strasbourg since 2000.

awaiting

Bozhidar Zafirov Abrashev - Minister of Culture

Born : 1936

Education/profession : Graduated from Prof. Pancho Vladigerov State Academy of Music, specializing in composition. Member of the Union of Bulgarian Composers since 1967. Composed around 60 musical pieces - symphonic, chamber and vocal ones. One -f the co-founders of the Simeon II National Movement.

Political career :

awaiting

Nikolai Avramov Svinarov - Minister of Defense

Born : 1958

Education/profession : Graduated from St Kliment Ohridski University of Sofia. In 1985 finished the Reserve Officers School of Vratsa. In 1998-2001 was elected member and chief secretary of the Supreme Judicial Council. Began as a criminal lawyer, after 1990 specialized in civil and commercial law.

Political career :

awaiting

Vladimir Atanassov Atanassov - Minister of Education and Science

Born : 1955

Education/profession : Graduated in Bulgarian philology in 1980. Author of studies, articles and monographs on education and Bulgarian literature. Author and co-author of text books, aids, and methodological guidebooks for secondary schools. Lecturer at the Slavonic Languages Department with St Kliment Ohridski University of Sofia.

Political career :

awaiting

Dolores Borissova Arsenova - Minister of Environment and Water

Born : 1964

Education/profession : Graduated in pedagogy from St Kliment Ohridski University of Sofia and in law from the University of National and World Economy. Assistant at the Global and Regional Development Department of the Sociology Institute with the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences since 1999. Member of the Bulgarian Association of Sociology and the Union of scientists in Bulgaria. Chairs the Governing Board of the Hippocrates Non-Profit Association.

Political career :

awaiting

Milen Emilov Velchev - Minister of Finance

Born : 1966

Education/profession : Graduated in international relations from the University of National and World Economy. M. A. in economic management from the University of Rochester, New York. M.A. from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge. Worked at leading financial institutions, from 1999 to 2001 was vice president at Developing Markets Department with the Bank of London.

Political career :

awaiting

Solomon Issak Passi - Minister of Foreign Affairs

Born : in 1956

Education/profession : Research associate in mathematical logics and computer sciences at St Kliment Ohridski University of Sofia and the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, visiting professor at Paul Sabatier University in Toulouse, France. In 1996-1999 was vice president of the Atlantic Treaty Association in Paris - the first vice president of the organization from an Eastern European country. President of The Atlantic Club of Bulgaria. Vice President of the SS Cyril and Methodius International Foundation.

Political career : Member of the Grand National Assembly. Member of the 39th National Assembly.

awaiting

Bozhidar Todorov Finkov - Minister of Health

Born : in 1948

Education/profession : Graduated from the Academy of Medicine, Sofia. Specialized in cardiology at the teaching hospitals of Prague (1984) and Frankfurt-on-Mein. Took brief specialization courses in Zurich, Geneva, Munich, Hamburg, Berlin, Leiden, Cleveland and Indianapolis. Authored over 60 studies in Bulgarian and foreign publications. Vice President of the Association of Cardiologists in Bulgaria, coordinator of the working group on coronary circulation and angioplasty with the European Cardiology Association since 1996.

Political career :

awaiting

Georgi Petrov Petkanov - Minister of Interior

Born : 1947

Education/profession : Graduated in law from St Kliment Ohridski University of Sofia. Specialist in financial and tax law. Worked as a lawyer since 1993. Arbitrator at the Court of Arbitration with the Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry since 1997. Dean of the Department of Law with St Kliment Ohridski University of Sofia in 1991-1995, then deputy rector of the same university. Chaired the Bulgarian Bar Association. Member of the Bureau of the International Association of Democratic Lawyers. Member of the Academic Council of St Kliment Ohridski University of Sofia since 1991, Chairman of the General Assembly of the same university, editor-in-chief of the "Modern Law" magazine.

Political career :

awaiting

Anton Iliev Stankov - Minister of Justice

Born : 1966

Education/profession : Graduated in law from St Kliment Ohridski University of Sofia. Promoted to the position of Chairman of the Criminal Division of the Sofia City Court. Member of the Legal Commission of the Bulgarian Olympic Committee, part-time lecturer in criminal proceedings at St Kliment Ohridski University of Sofia.

Political career :

awaiting

Plamen Vassilev Petrov - Minister of Transportation and Communications

Born : 1966

Education/profession : Graduated in international economic relations from the University of National and World Economy, Sofia. B. A. in economics from Dr Harry truman University, Missouri, the US. Studied at the University of Missouri, Columbia, under a programme for M. A. in economics. Awarded M.A. in international management from Thunderbird University, Arizona, US. Began his career at US banks. In 1999 set up a consortium for investment in the cable television and communications industry. Actively contributed to the development strategy of Cable Bulgaria.

Political career :

awaiting

Dimiter Georgiev Kalchev - Minister of State Administration

Born : 1945

Education/profession : Graduated from the Higher Institute of Mechanical Engineering and Electrification, Rousse. Graduated as an extramural student from the Higher Economic Academy of Moscow, specializing in industrial management. In 1996 studied municipal finances management at the University of North Carolina, US.

Political career : Member of the Executive Bureau of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities with the Council of Europe in Strasbourg since 1996. Chairman of the National Association of Municipalities in Bulgaria in 1996-2000.

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