100 Notable alumni of
Sofia University "St. Kliment Ohridski"
Updated:
Sofia University "St. Kliment Ohridski" is 174th in the world, 58th in Europe, and 1st in Bulgaria by aggregated alumni prominence. Below is the list of 100 notable alumni from Sofia University "St. Kliment Ohridski" sorted by their wiki pages popularity. The directory includes famous graduates and former students along with research and academic staff.
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Julia Kristeva
- Occupations
- philosopherpsychoanalystnovelistlinguistuniversity teacher
- Biography
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Julia Kristeva is a Bulgarian-French philosopher, literary critic, semiotician, psychoanalyst, feminist, and novelist who has lived in France since the mid-1960s. She has taught at Columbia University, and is now a professor emerita at Université Paris Cité. The author of more than 30 books, including Powers of Horror, Tales of Love, Black Sun: Depression and Melancholia, Proust and the Sense of Time, and the trilogy Female Genius, she has been awarded Commander of the Legion of Honor, Commander of the Order of Merit, the Holberg International Memorial Prize, the Hannah Arendt Prize, and the Vision 97 Foundation Prize, awarded by the Havel Foundation.
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Tzvetan Todorov
- Occupations
- geologistsemiologistliterary theoristhistoriancritic
- Biography
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Tzvetan Todorov was a Bulgarian-French historian, philosopher, structuralist literary critic, sociologist and essayist. He was the author of many books and essays, which have had a significant influence in anthropology, sociology, semiotics, literary theory, intellectual history and culture theory.
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Ahmed Dogan
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Ahmed Demir Dogan is a Turkish Bulgarian oligarch and politician who founded the DPS party in 1990 and remained its leader until he stepped down in 2013.
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Omraam Mikhaël Aïvanhov
- Occupations
- writerteacherphilosopher
- Biography
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Omraam Mikhaël Aïvanhov was a Bulgarian philosopher, pedagogue, mystic, and esotericist. A leading 20th-century teacher of Western Esotericism in Europe, he was a disciple of Peter Deunov (Beinsa Douno), the founder of the Universal White Brotherhood.
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Yordan Yovkov
- Enrolled in Sofia University "St. Kliment Ohridski"
- In 1904 graduated with Bachelor of Laws in law
- Occupations
- playwrightpoetwriterediting staffprose writer
- Biography
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Yordan Stefanov Yovkov was a prominent Bulgarian writer from the interwar period.
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Lyudmila Zhivkova
- Occupations
- historianpolitician
- Biography
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Lyudmila Todorova Zhivkova was a senior Bulgarian Communist Party functionary and Politburo member. She was the daughter of Bulgarian Communist leader Todor Zhivkov, and primarily known for her interest in preserving and promoting Bulgarian arts and culture on the international stage. Zhivkova was also a controversial figure within the former Soviet Bloc because of her interests in esoteric Eastern religion and spirituality.
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Korneliya Ninova
- Occupations
- juristpolitician
- Biography
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Korneliya Petrova Ninova is a Bulgarian politician, a former leader and MP of the Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP). She was chairwoman of BSP from 2016 to 2024. She currently leads Nepokorna Bulgaria, a centre-left political movement.
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Boyan Petrov
- Enrolled in Sofia University "St. Kliment Ohridski"
- In 1997 graduated with master's degree in zoology and ecology
- Occupations
- zoologistmountaineerspeleologist
- Biography
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Boyan Petrov was a Bulgarian zoologist and mountaineer, who worked at the National Museum of Natural History in Sofia.
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Stoyanka Mutafova
- Occupations
- actor
- Biography
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Stoyanka Mutafova was a Bulgarian actress. During her career, she starred in over 53 theatrical plays and 25 films
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Dimcho Debelyanov
- Occupations
- writertranslatorpoetmilitary officer
- Biography
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Dimcho Debelyanov was a Bulgarian poet and author.
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Zhelyu Zhelev
- Occupations
- politiciannon-fiction writerphilosopher
- Biography
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Zhelyu Mitev Zhelev was a Bulgarian politician and former dissident who served as the first democratically elected and non-Communist President of Bulgaria, from 1990 to 1997. Zhelev was one of the most prominent figures of the 1989 Bulgarian Revolution, which ended the 35 year rule of President Todor Zhivkov. A member of the Union of Democratic Forces, he was elected as President by the 7th Grand National Assembly. Two years later, he won Bulgaria's first direct presidential elections. He lost his party's nomination for his 1996 reelection campaign after losing a tough primary race to Petar Stoyanov.
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Iliana Yotova
- Occupations
- journalistpolitician
- Biography
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Iliana Malinova Iotova is a Bulgarian politician who has been serving as Vice President of Bulgaria since 2017. She was the running mate of Rumen Radev, who defeated GERB nominee Tsetska Tsacheva in the second round of the 2016 presidential election. She was a Member of the European Parliament from 2007 until her resignation on 16 January 2017. She speaks Bulgarian, French and English.
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Geo Milev
- Occupations
- journalistliterary criticpainterpoetwriter
- Biography
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Geo Milev was a Bulgarian poet, translator, and journalist. He is perhaps best known for his epic poem Septemvri, written during the Bulgarian September Uprising.
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Georgi Gospodinov
- Occupations
- screenwriterwriterplaywrightpoet
- Biography
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Georgi Gospodinov Georgiev is a Bulgarian writer, poet and playwright. His novel Time Shelter received the 2023 International Booker Prize, shared with translator Angela Rodel, as well as the Strega European Prize. His novel The Physics of Sorrow received the Jan Michalski Prize and the Angelus Award. His works have been translated into 25 languages.
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Ivan Mihailov
- Occupations
- writerpolitician
- Biography
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Ivan Mihaylov Gavrilov, also known as Vancho Mihaylov (Bulgarian: Ванчо Михайлов; Macedonian: Ванчо Михајлов), was a Bulgarian revolutionary in interwar Macedonia and the last leader of the Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization (IMRO).
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Iván Cepeda Castro
- Enrolled in Sofia University "St. Kliment Ohridski"
- Studied philosophy
- Occupations
- writerpoliticianhuman rights activist
- Biography
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Iván Cepeda Castro is a left-wing Colombian politician, human rights activist, and philosopher. The eldest son of the late left-wing politician Manuel Cepeda Vargas, Cepeda has served as a member of the Senate since 2014 for the Alternative Democratic Pole. He previously served in the Chamber of Representatives from 2010 and 2014.
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Georgi Parvanov
- Occupations
- historianpolitician
- Biography
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Georgi Sedefchov Parvanov is a Bulgarian historian and politician who was President of Bulgaria from 2002 to 2012. He was elected after defeating incumbent Petar Stoyanov in the second round of the November 2001 presidential election. He took office on 22 January 2002. He was reelected in a landslide victory in 2006, becoming the first Bulgarian president to serve two terms. Parvanov supported Bulgaria's entry into NATO and the European Union.
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Neophyte of Bulgaria
- Occupations
- university teacherbishoppriest
- Biography
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Patriarch Neophyte was the Patriarch of All Bulgaria, head of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church from 24 February 2013 until his death on 13 March 2024. Prior to his election, he was the Metropolitan Bishop of Ruse (2001–2013) and Bishop of Dorostol and Cherven (1994–2001).
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Petar Mladenov
- Occupations
- diplomatpolitician
- Biography
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Petar Toshev Mladenov was a Bulgarian communist diplomat and politician. He was the last leader of the Bulgarian People's Republic from 1989 to 1990, and briefly the first President of the Bulgarian Republic in 1990.
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Dimitar Talev
- Occupations
- politicianwriterchildren's writerjournalist
- Biography
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Dimitar Talev was a Bulgarian writer, journalist, political prisoner, and member of the Bulgarian National Assembly.
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Bogdan Filov
- Occupations
- politicianhistorianarchaeologistanthropologistart historian
- Biography
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Bogdan Dimitrov Filov was a Bulgarian archaeologist, art historian and politician. He was prime minister of Bulgaria during World War II. During his tenure, Bulgaria became the seventh nation to join the Axis Powers.
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Blaže Koneski
- Occupations
- translatorpoetuniversity teacherpoliticianwriter
- Biography
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Blaže Koneski was a Macedonian poet, writer, literary translator, and linguistic scholar.
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Elisaveta Bagryana
- Occupations
- writertranslatorliterary editorpoet
- Biography
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Elisaveta Bagryana, born Elisaveta Lyubomirova Belcheva (Bulgarian: Елисавета Любомирова Белчева), was a Bulgarian poet who wrote her first verses while living with her family in Veliko Tarnovo in 1907–08. She, along with Dora Gabe (1886–1983), is considered one of the "first ladies of Bulgarian women's literature". She was nominated for the Nobel Prize in Literature three times.
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Ivan Krastev
- Occupations
- writeruniversity teacherpolitical scientist
- Biography
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Ivan Krastev, is a political scientist, the chairman of the Centre for Liberal Strategies in Sofia, permanent fellow at the IWM (Institute of Human Sciences) in Vienna, and 2013-4-17 Richard von Weizsäcker fellow at the Robert Bosch Stiftung in Berlin.
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Aleksandar Tsankov
- Occupations
- politicianuniversity teachereconomist
- Biography
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Aleksandar Tsolov Tsankov was a leading Bulgarian politician during the interwar period between the two world wars.
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Petar Stoyanov
- Occupations
- politicianjuristlawyer
- Biography
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Petar Stefanov Stoyanov is a Bulgarian statesman and politician who served as the 2nd President of Bulgaria from 1997 to 2002. A member of the Union of Democratic Forces, he won the second democratic election in modern Bulgarian history. Throughout Stoyanov’s presidency, Bulgaria made substantial progress in its efforts of joining NATO and the European Union.
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Dame Gruev
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Damyan Yovanov Gruev was а Bulgarian teacher, revolutionary and insurgent leader in the Ottoman regions of Macedonia and Thrace. He was one of the six founders of the Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization. Gruev is seen as a national hero in Bulgaria and North Macedonia but his ethnicity is disputed between both countries.
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Hristo Ivanov
- Occupations
- juristpolitician
- Biography
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Hristo Lyubomirov Ivanov is a Bulgarian politician who served as Member of the National Assembly from 2021 to 2024. A member of the Yes, Bulgaria! party, which he founded and led from 2017 to 2024, he previously served as Minister of Justice from 2014 to 2015 and briefly as Deputy Prime Minister in 2014.
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Ivan Kostov
- Occupations
- politicianeconomist
- Biography
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Ivan Yordanov Kostov is a Bulgarian politician who served as Prime Minister of Bulgaria from 1997 to 2001. A member of the SDS party, which he led from 1994 to 2001, he was previously Minister of Finance from 1990 to 1992. Following his premiership, Kostov founded a new political party, the DSB, and served as Member of the National Assembly from 2001 to 2013.
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Tsetska Tsacheva
- Occupations
- politicianlegal counselor
- Biography
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Tsetska Tsacheva Dangovska is a Bulgarian politician and jurist. A member of centre-right conservative GERB political party, Dangovska has served as the Minister of Justice from 4 May 2017 to 5 April 2019. She had previously held the position of Chairwoman of the National Assembly of Bulgaria on two occasions. She was the first woman to ever chair the National Assembly since its establishment in 1878.
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Atanas Dalchev
- Occupations
- translatorlinguistpoet
- Biography
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Atanas Hristov Dalchev was a Bulgarian poet, critic and translator. He was among the leading Bulgarian poets of the 1920s and 1930s. Dalchev was also a prominent translator of poetry and fiction from French, Spanish, English, German and Russian authors. He was a recipient of the Herder Prize in 1972 (for his overall literary work) and the Znak Pocheta Order (or Order of the Badge of Honor) in 1967 (for popularisation of Russian culture in Bulgaria).
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Boris Christoff
- Occupations
- musicianopera singeractorsinger
- Biography
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Boris Christoff was a Bulgarian opera singer, widely considered one of the greatest basses of the 20th century.
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Yordanka Fandakova
- Occupations
- school teacherpolitician
- Biography
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Yordanka Asenova Fandakova is a Bulgarian politician and former Mayor of Sofia. She was the first woman to hold this position. She was elected on 15 November 2009, after defeating the Bulgarian Socialist Party contender Georgi Kadiev. Fandakova is a member of the conservative GERB party.
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Krasimir Karakachanov
- Occupations
- politicianhistorianjurist
- Biography
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Krasimir Donchev Karakachanov is a Bulgarian politician. He was the leader of VMRO from 1991 until 2022.
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Georgi Lozanov
- Occupations
- psychologistpedagoguepsychiatrist
- Biography
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Georgi Lozanov, known as 'the father of accelerated learning', was a Bulgarian scientist, neurologist, psychiatrist, psychologist and educator, creator of suggestology, suggestopedia (or 'suggestopaedia', an experimental branch of suggestology for use in pedagogy), and integrated psychotherapy.
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Dora Gabe
- Occupations
- translatorwritertheatre criticteachertheatrologist
- Biography
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Dora Petrova Gabe was а Bulgarian Jewish poet, writer and translator. She published poetry for adults and children as well as travel books, short stories and essays. In her later years, she also did extensive work in translation.
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Ognyan Gerdzhikov
- Enrolled in Sofia University "St. Kliment Ohridski"
- Studied law
- Occupations
- university teacherpoliticianjuristlawyer
- Biography
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Ognyan Stefanov Gerdzhikov is a Bulgarian politician and jurist who served as the interim Prime Minister from 27 January 2017 to 4 May 2017, following the resignation of Prime Minister Boyko Borisov and the failure of Bulgarian parties to form a government.
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Alan Woods
- Occupations
- journalistwriter
- Biography
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Alan Woods is a British Trotskyist political theorist and author. He is one of the leading members of the Revolutionary Communist International (RCI) and was a founder of Socialist Appeal (now the Revolutionary Communist Party). He is political editor of the RCI's In Defence of Marxism website. Woods was a leading supporter within the Militant tendency within the Labour Party and its parent group the Committee for a Workers' International until the early 1990s. A series of disagreements on tactics and theory led to Woods and Ted Grant leaving the CWI, to found the Committee for a Marxist International (soon renamed International Marxist Tendency) in 1992. They continued with the policy of entryism into the Labour Party. Woods has expressed particularly vocal support for the Bolivarian Revolution in Venezuela, and repeatedly met with the Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez, leading to speculation that he was a close political adviser to the president.
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Valeri Petrov
- Occupations
- translatorscreenwriterphysicianpoetphysician writer
- Biography
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Valeri Petrov, was a popular Bulgarian poet, screenplay writer, playwright and translator of paternal Jewish origin.
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Boyko Rashkov
- Occupations
- politicianjuristlawyeruniversity teachercivil servant
- Biography
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Boyko Iliev Rashkov is a Bulgarian lawyer, state official and politician, deputy to the National Assembly in 2021, Deputy Prime Minister for Public Order and Security. He was Minister of the Interior in the first and second Stefan Yanev government and in the Kiril Petkov government.
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Lena Borislavova
- Occupations
- lawyerpolitician
- Biography
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Lena Zdravkova Borislavova is a Bulgarian politician who is a current Member of the National Assembly. A member of the PP party, she previously served as Head of the political cabinet in the Petkov Government, an equivalent position to the chief of staff in other countries.
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Stefan Tsanev
- Enrolled in Sofia University "St. Kliment Ohridski"
- In 1959 studied journalism
- Occupations
- journalistplaywrightpoetwritertranslator
- Biography
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Stefan Nedelchev Tsanev is a contemporary Bulgarian writer, known for his essays, plays, poems, and historical novels.
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Ran Bosilek
- Enrolled in Sofia University "St. Kliment Ohridski"
- Studied law and Slavic studies
- Occupations
- linguistjuristpoetwritertranslator
- Biography
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Ran Bosilek, born Gencho Stanchev Negentsov (Bulgarian: Генчо Станчев Негенцов), was a Bulgarian author of children's books. Three years before his death, in 1955, he translated Astrid Lindgren's children's book "Karlsson-on-the-Roof" into Bulgarian.
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Solomon Passy
- Occupations
- politiciancomputer scientistmathematician
- Biography
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Solomon Isaac Passy is a Bulgarian scientist and politician. According to Alpha Research, he is the most recognized Bulgarian of Jewish descent.
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Gergana
- Occupations
- singer
- Biography
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Gergana Georgieva Katsarska is a Bulgarian pop-folk singer, often referred to as "the Barbie doll of pop-folk". Her early career (2003–2004) was marked by the runaway success of her debut single "Губя те бавно" followed by a best-selling debut album.
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Daniel Mitov
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Daniel Pavlov Mitov is a Bulgarian politician. He served as Minister of Foreign Affairs of Bulgaria from 2014 to 2017.
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Nikolaos Tsitiridis
- Enrolled in Sofia University "St. Kliment Ohridski"
- Studied journalism
- Occupations
- comediantelevision presenter
- Biography
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Nikolaos Tsitiridis is a Bulgarian comedian, writer, screenwriter and television presenter.
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Meglena Kuneva
- Occupations
- politicianjournalistjurist
- Biography
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Meglena Shtilianova Kuneva is a Bulgarian and EU politician.
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Traycho Kostov
- Occupations
- politicianmilitary officer
- Biography
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Traycho Kostov Dzhunev was a Bulgarian politician, the leading figure of the Bulgarian Communist Party.
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Angel Dzhambazki
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Angel Chavdarov Dzhambazki is a Bulgarian nationalist politician who served as Member of the European Parliament from 2014 to 2024. He is also a co-chairman of VMRO, having joined the nationalist party's youth organization in 1997 and gradually progressed through its ranks.
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Tatyana Doncheva
- Occupations
- lawyerpolitician
- Biography
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Tatyana Doncheva Toteva is a Bulgarian politician from the Movement 21 political party, of which she is the chairperson. She has been a member of four National Assemblies. - the 38th, 39th, 40th and 45th.
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Bozhidar Dimitrov
- Enrolled in Sofia University "St. Kliment Ohridski"
- Studied archaeology and history
- Occupations
- historianpolitician
- Biography
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Bozhidar Dimitrov Stoyanov was a Bulgarian historian, politician, and polemicist in the sphere of Medieval Bulgarian history, the Ottoman rule of Bulgaria and the Macedonian Question. He was director of the National Historical Museum, formerly a Bulgarian Socialist Party member, and later became affiliated with the Citizens for European Development of Bulgaria (GERB) political party.
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Nadezhda Neynski
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Nadezhda Neynsky, previously known as Nadezhda Nikolova Mihaylova, is a Bulgarian politician and diplomat. A former leader of the Union of the Democratic Forces, she served as the Minister of Foreign Affairs and as a Member of both the National Assembly and the European Parliament. She was most recently the Bulgarian Ambassador to Turkey.
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Maxim of Bulgaria
- Occupations
- priest
- Biography
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Patriarch Maxim was the head of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church from 1971 until his death.
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Philip Dimitrov
- Occupations
- politicianpoet lawyerwriterjuristjudge
- Biography
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Philip Dimitrov Dimitrov is a Bulgarian politician, Prime Minister of Bulgaria 1991–2, MP in the 36th (1991–1994), 37th (1994–1997) and the 40th (2005–2007) National Assembly, and MEP from January 2007 to May 2007.
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Anton Donchev
- Occupations
- writerpoliticianscreenwriter
- Biography
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Anton Nikolov Donchev was a Bulgarian writer of historical novels and screenwriter of Bulgarian historical drama films. In 2003 he was elected an academic at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences. He is well known in the country and abroad with his novel Time of Parting.
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Elena Poptodorova
- Enrolled in Sofia University "St. Kliment Ohridski"
- In 1975 studied English studies
- Occupations
- diplomatpolitician
- Biography
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Elena Poptodorova is a Bulgarian politician and diplomat, who has served two times as the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Bulgaria to the United States.
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Leda Mileva
- Occupations
- politicianjournalistlinguistwritertranslator
- Biography
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Leda Mileva was a Bulgarian writer, translator and diplomat. She was the daughter of Bulgarian poet Geo Milev.
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Mara Buneva
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Mara Buneva was a Macedonian Bulgarian revolutionary, a member of the Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization, who assassinated Velimir Prelić, a former Serbian Chetnik commander and Yugoslav legal official of the Skopje Oblast. She shot herself in the chest, and subsequently died in a hospital a few hours after the attack, while Prelić died a few days later.
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Yana Yazova
- Occupations
- poetwriter
- Biography
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Liouba Todorova Gancheva, better known by her pen name Yana Yazova, was a Bulgarian writer and intellectual born in 1912 who died in 1974.
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Sotir Tsatsarov
- Enrolled in Sofia University "St. Kliment Ohridski"
- Studied law
- Occupations
- prosecutor
- Biography
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Sotir Stefanov Tsatsarov is a Bulgarian jurist who served as the chief prosecutor of Bulgaria from December 2012 until December 2019. Tsatsarov allegedly owes his appointment to Delyan Peevski, a media mogul and member of Bulgaria's Parliament, and Prime Minister Boyko Borisov. His time in office has been overshadowed by controversial investigations of political opposition leaders, famous businessmen, and independent media. Prominent Bulgarian jurists, including the heads of Bulgaria's main appellate courts, have asked for his resignation.
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Radan Kanev
- Occupations
- lawyerpolitician
- Biography
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Radan Milenov Kanev is a Bulgarian politician who is currently a Member of the European Parliament. A member of the DSB party, which he led from 2013 to 2017, he previously served as Member of the National Assembly from 2014 to 2017.
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Radostin Vasilev
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Radostin Petev Vasilev is a Bulgarian politician who served as Minister of Youth and Sports from 2021 to 2022. As member of the ITN and PP parties successively, he also served as Member of the National Assembly from 2021 to 2024. In 2024, Vasilev founded his own political party, Morality, Unity, Honour, and became its leader.
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Georgi Bliznashki
- Occupations
- university teacherpolitician
- Biography
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Georgi Petkov Bliznashki is a Bulgarian politician who served as Prime Minister of Bulgaria in 2014, leading a caretaker government. A member of the Bulgarian Socialist Party, from which he was expelled in 2014, Bliznashki consecutively served as Observer and Member of the European Parliament from 2005 to 2007. He was also a Member of the National Assembly from 1991 to 1994 and from 2005 to 2009.
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Zvezdelina Stankova
- Occupations
- mathematician
- Biography
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Zvezdelina Entcheva Stankova is an American mathematician who is a professor of mathematics at Mills College and a teaching professor at the University of California, Berkeley, the founder of the Berkeley Math Circle, and an expert in the combinatorial enumeration of permutations with forbidden patterns.
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Venko Markovski
- Occupations
- writerpoliticianpoet
- Biography
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Venko Markovski, born Veniyamin Milanov Toshev (Bulgarian: Вениямин Миланов Тошев, romanized: Veniyamin Milanov Toshev; Macedonian: Вениамин Миланов Тошев, romanized: Veniamin Milanov Tošev; March 5, 1915 – January 7, 1988) was a Bulgarian and Macedonian writer, poet, partisan and Communist politician.
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Dimitar Vlahov
- Occupations
- political commissarpoliticiandiplomatmilitary officer
- Biography
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Dimitar Vlahov was a politician from the region of Macedonia and member of the left wing of the Macedonian-Adrianople revolutionary movement (also known as Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization (IMRO)). As with many other IMRO members of the time, historians from North Macedonia consider him an ethnic Macedonian and in Bulgaria he is considered a Bulgarian. Vlahov declared himself until the early 1930s as a Bulgarian and afterwards as an ethnic Macedonian.
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Lyuben Dilov
- Occupations
- writerscience fiction writer
- Biography
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Lyuben Dilov Ivanov, occasionally spelled Luben Dilov, Ljuben Dilov or Liuben Dilov was a Bulgarian science fiction writer of the Communist era and the author of acclaimed children's fiction and non-fiction works. He is the father of Bulgarian politician and screenwriter Lyuben Dilov Jr., who currently serves in the 49th National Assembly.
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Aleksandar Lilov
- Occupations
- politicianphilosopher
- Biography
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Aleksandar Vasilev Lilov was a Bulgarian politician and philosopher. At his career's height during the People's Republic of Bulgaria, he was described as the second most powerful man of the regime; however, he fell out of favor in 1983 and lost his power. He made a strong political comeback during the democratic transition and was elected chairman of the Bulgarian Communist Party. He led the party to transform and adapt to the post-Communist era. A party referendum supported his proposal to change the name to the Bulgarian Socialist Party.
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Iva Miteva
- Occupations
- juristpolitician
- Biography
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Iva Miteva Yordanova-Rupcheva is a Bulgarian lawyer and politician who was the Speaker of the 45th National Assembly and the 46th National Assembly.
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Margarita Popova
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Margarita Stefanova Popova is a Bulgarian jurist, prosecutor, educator who was Vice President of Bulgaria from 2012 to 2017. She previously served as Minister of Justice from 27 July 2009 to 4 September 2011 in the cabinet of Boyko Borisov. As the running mate of presidential candidate Rosen Plevneliev in the October 2011 presidential election, she was elected as vice president and took office in January 2012.
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Denitsa Sacheva
- Occupations
- businesspersonpolitician
- Biography
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Denitsa Evgenieva Sacheva is a Bulgarian politician serving as a member of the National Assembly since 2021. From 2019 to 2021, she served as minister of labor and social policy.
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Rumyana Bachvarova
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Rumyana Bachvarova is a Bulgarian GERB politician. Since November 7, 2014 she was Deputy Prime Minister in charge of coalition policy and state administration in the Second Borisov Cabinet. On 11 March 2015, the Minister of Interior Veselin Vuchkov was replaced by Rumyana Bachvarova, who also kept her position as a Deputy PM. She has been credited with being a unifying force when it comes to the different parties supporting the Second Borisov government.
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Dimo Hadzhidimov
- Occupations
- journalistpolitician
- Biography
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Dimo Hadzhidimov was a 20th-century Bulgarian teacher, revolutionary and politician from Ottoman Macedonia. He was among the leaders of the left wing of Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization (IMRO), which he considered a Bulgarian creation.
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Petar Beron
- Enrolled in Sofia University "St. Kliment Ohridski"
- Graduated with biology
- Occupations
- entomologistpoliticiancave biologistspeleologistzoologist
- Biography
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Petar Beron, born 14 March 1940 in Sofia, Bulgaria, is a Bulgarian academic and politician. He was leader of the United Democratic Forces (SDS) in from August 1990 to 4 December 1990 (heading the second-largest political party at the time). He was a vice-presidential candidate in 1992 and a presidential candidate in 2001 and 2006.
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Eizzaldin al-Manasrah
- Occupations
- university teacheracademicpoetliterary critic
- Biography
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Izz Al-Din Manasirah Arabic: عز الدين المناصرة — 11 April 1946 – 5 April 2021) was a Palestinian poet, critic, intellectual and academic born in the town of Bani Naim, Hebron Governorate, Palestine. Winner of several prizes as a cadet and an academic, he was a poet of the Palestinian resistance from the late 1960s on, and his name was associated with armed and cultural resistance. He was held in such high regard as poets Mahmoud Darwish, Samih al-Qasim and Tawfiq Ziad, or as they are collectively called, the "Big Four in Palestinian Poetry." He sang poems by Marcel Khalife and others and was famous for his poems "Jafra" and "In Green We Enshrouded Him contributed to the development of modern Arab poetry and the development of methodologies for cultural criticism. He was described by Ehsan Abbas as one of the pioneers of the modern poetic movement.
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Petar Poparsov
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Petar Poparsov or Petar Pop Arsov was a Macedonian Bulgarian revolutionary, educator and one of the founders of the Internal Macedonian Adrianople Revolutionary Organization (IMARO). He is regarded as an ethnic Macedonian by the historiography in North Macedonia.
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Daniel Valchev
- Occupations
- politiciandocent
- Biography
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Daniel Vasilev Valchev is a Bulgarian politician who served as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education and Science from 2005 to 2009. A member of the NDSV party, he was previously a Member of the National Assembly from 2001 to 2005. Valchev is now politically inactive and has served as the Dean of the Faculty of Law at Sofia University since 2019.
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Pavel Shatev
- Occupations
- revolutionarypolitician
- Biography
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Pavel Potsev Shatev was a socialist revolutionary from Macedonia and member of the left wing of the Internal Macedonian-Adrianople Revolutionary Organization (IMARO), later becoming a left-wing political activist.
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Blagovest Sendov
- Occupations
- university teacherpoliticiandiplomatstatespersonmathematician
- Biography
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Blagovest Hristov Sendov was a Bulgarian mathematician, diplomat and politician.
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Rosen Zhelyazkov
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Rosen Dimitrov Zhelyazkov is a Bulgarian politician who is the current Prime Minister of Bulgaria. A member of GERB, he previously served as Minister of Transport from 2018 to 2021, Member of the National Assembly from 2021 to 2025, and Speaker of the National Assembly from 2023 to 2024.
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Lyuben Berov
- Occupations
- politicianuniversity teachereconomist
- Biography
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Lyuben Borisov Berov was a Bulgarian economist who served as the Prime Minister of Bulgaria from 1992 to 1994. A political independent, he previously held the role of an economic adviser to President Zhelyu Zhelev.
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Ivailo Petrov
- Occupations
- writerpainter
- Biography
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Ivailo Petrov was a Bulgarian writer, who authored a number of short stories. His work focuses on traditional village life in Bulgaria.
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Rayko Aleksiev
- Enrolled in Sofia University "St. Kliment Ohridski"
- Studied literature
- Occupations
- journalistpaintercaricaturist
- Biography
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Rayko Nikolov Aleksiev was a Bulgarian painter, caricaturist, and writer of feuilletons. He established Shturets, a hugely successful satirical newspaper, in 1932.
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Stanke Dimitrov
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Stefan Dimitrov Todorov, better known as Stanke Dimitrov (Станке Димитров) or under the pseudonym Marek (Марек), was a high-ranking Bulgarian Communist Party activist and anti-fascist.
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Alek Popov
- Occupations
- opinion journalistscreenwriterwriterplaywright
- Biography
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Alek Vasilev Popov was a Bulgarian novelist, short story writer, essayist and scriptwriter, author of the novel Mission London.
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Mihail Mikov
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Mihail Raykov Mikov is a Bulgarian politician who was Chairman of the Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) from 2014 to 2016. He is a parliamentarian with six consecutive terms as a deputy in the National Assembly. His career in the legislature culminated in his election as Chairman of the 42nd National Assembly on May 21, 2013. Mikov was Minister of Interior from 24 April 2008 to 29 July 2009 in Sergei Stanishev's government. Currently he is the leader of the Parliamentary Group of BSP Left Bulgaria in the 43rd National Assembly, the coalition led by the socialist party. Mihail Mikov was elected as Chairman of the BSP on 27 July 2014, succeeding Sergei Stanishev. He won a run-off against outgoing Economy and Energy Minister Dragomir Stoynev with a final tally of 377-333.
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Damyan Velchev
- Occupations
- military officerministermilitary personnelpoliticiandiplomat
- Biography
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Damyan Velchev or Velcev was a Bulgarian politician and general.
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Ivaylo Vulchev
- Occupations
- screenwriterpoliticianpoet
- Biography
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Ivaylo Vanev Valchev is a Bulgarian poet, screenwriter, lyricist, and politician of There is Such a People (ITN). He was elected member of the European Parliament in 2024.
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Assen Razcvetnikov
- Enrolled in Sofia University "St. Kliment Ohridski"
- Studied Slavic studies
- Occupations
- translatorpoetwriterlibrarianchildren's writer
- Biography
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Assen Raztsvetnikov was a Bulgarian poet, writer and translator.
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Rumiana Jeleva
- Occupations
- university teacherpolitician
- Biography
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Rumiana Ruseva Jeleva was Bulgaria's minister of foreign affairs (July 2009 – January 2010), the third woman to hold this office after Irina Bokova and Nadezhda Mihailova. Jeleva was a key figure in the "GERB" political party which won the 2009 parliamentary elections. From 2007 to 2009, she served as Member of the European Parliament (MEP) and headed the Bulgarian delegation in the EPP Group. She was nominated by Prime Minister Boyko Borisov as Commissioner in the "Barroso II Commission" and was affiliated with the European People's Party (EPP). However, an article in the German newspaper Die Welt accused her husband of links with the Russian mafia.
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Boris Velchev
- Occupations
- judgepolitician
- Biography
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Boris Vladimirov Velchev is a Bulgarian jurist who served as the chief prosecutor of Bulgaria between 2006 and 2012, being the youngest person to hold the position.
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Pavel Chernev
- Occupations
- lawyerpolitician
- Biography
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Pavel Mihaylov Chernev was a Bulgarian politician and lawyer. He was also one of the MPs who opposed the Independence of Kosovo.
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Ivan Bagryanov
- Occupations
- politiciandiplomatmilitary officer
- Biography
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Ivan Ivanov Bagryanov was a leading Bulgarian politician who briefly served as Prime Minister during the Second World War.
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Boyko Vasilev
- Enrolled in Sofia University "St. Kliment Ohridski"
- 1989-1994 studied journalism
- Occupations
- journalist
- Biography
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Boyko Vassilev Petrov is a Bulgarian journalist who is the producer and presenter of the weekly TV show Panorama that airs on Bulgarian National Television.
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Milen Ruskov
- Occupations
- translatorlinguistwriter
- Biography
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Milen Ruskov, a Bulgarian writer and translator. He graduated from Sofia University in 1995.
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Miroslav Borshosh
- Enrolled in Sofia University "St. Kliment Ohridski"
- Studied culturology
- Occupations
- film producerradio personalitycultural studies scholarpoliticianentrepreneur
- Biography
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Miroslav Laslo Borshosh; born 8 December 1972) is a Bulgarian politician serving as minister of tourism since 2025. From 2014 to 2017, he served as director of the National Palace of Culture.
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Christo Pimpirev
- Occupations
- polar explorergeologistexplorer
- Biography
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Christo Pimpirev is a Bulgarian scientist (geologist) and polar explorer.
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Daniel of Bulgaria
- Occupations
- Eastern Orthodox bishop
- Biography
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Patriarch Daniil or Daniel is a prelate of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church, currently serving as Patriarch of All Bulgaria since June 2024. Prior to his election, he was the Metropolitan Bishop of Vidin (2018–2024) and bishop of Dragovitia (2008–2018).
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Andrey Pantev
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Andrey Pantev is a Bulgarian historian, a member-academician of the World Academy of Sciences and the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences.
