Georgi Parvanov

Georgi Parvanov Георги Първанов
Parvanov in Argentina on 11 November 2008
4th President of Bulgaria
In office 22 January 2002 – 22 January 2012
Prime Minister	Simeon Sakskoburggotski Sergei Stanishev Boyko Borisov
Vice President	Angel Marin
Preceded by	Petar Stoyanov
Succeeded by	Rosen Plevneliev
Personal details
Born	Georgi Sedefchov Parvanov (1957-06-28) 28 June 1957 Sirishtnik, Bulgaria
Political party	Independent (2002–present)
Other political affiliations	Communist Party (1981–1990) Socialist Party (1990–2002)
Spouse(s)	Zorka Petrova
Children	Vladimir Ivaylo
Alma mater	Sofia University
Profession	Historian
Signature

Georgi Sedefchov Parvanov (Bulgarian: Георги Седефчов Първанов, IPA: [ɡɛˈɔrɡi pɐrˈvanof]) (born June 28, 1957) was President of Bulgaria from 2002 to 2012. He was elected after defeating his predecessor Petar Stoyanov in the second round of the presidential election in November 2001 and he took office on January 22, 2002. Georgi Parvanov started his second presidential mandate following victory in the 2006 presidential election. Parvanov supports membership of Bulgaria in NATO and the European Union.

According to Bulgarian law, a Bulgarian president is not allowed to be a member of a political party, thus Parvanov is independent and he left the Socialist Party after his success in the presidential elections, although he identified as a socialist, Parvanov often declares being a 'social president'. After his second mandate Parvanov says he is going to return in BSP beginning a "leadership debate" although he does not prepare himself for party positions. Even though rumours persist that he is going to challenge Sergei Stanishev at his leader's position in BSP and even run for elections for the Prime Minister position.

Biography

Early years

Georgi Parvanov was born in the village of Sirishtnik, Pernik Province on June 28, 1957 and he grew up in the nearby village of Kosacha. In 1975 Parvanov graduated the secondary school in Pernik and in 1981 he finished his undergraduate education at the Sofia University, by gaining a major in history, specializing in the history of the Bulgarian Communist Party. In 1988 Parvanov defended his doctoral thesis in history, which is titled "Dimitar Blagoev and the Bulgarian national question 1879-1917".

Professional career

• Joined the Institute for History of the Bulgarian Communist Party as a researcher: 1981

Main interest: the Bulgarian national issue and the early history of social democracy in Bulgaria

• Senior Research Associate: 1989
• Member of the Internet Society of Bulgaria since May 2001

Political career

Major political positions

• Member of the Bulgarian Communist Party since 1981 (renamed to Bulgarian Socialist Party, BSP in 1990)
• Deputy Chairman of the BSP Supreme Council: 1994
• Chairman of the BSP Supreme Council: 1996
• Re-elected Chairman of the BSP Supreme Council: 2000
• Member of Parliament: 1994–2001
• Chairman of the Parliamentary Group for Friendship with Greece and member of the Parliamentary Committee on Radio and Television: 1994–1997
• Chairman of the Parliamentary Group of the Democratic Left and the Parliamentary Group of Coalition for Bulgaria: 1997–2001
• Elected President of the Republic of Bulgaria: November 2001. Took office: 22 January 2002.
• Ran for re-election in 2006. Won the first round with 65 per cent of the vote on October 22. As turnout was less than 50%, he faced ultranationalist Volen Siderov at the runoff on October 29. Parvanov won with more than 75 per cent of the vote.

Collaboration with Committee for State Security

In 2006 Parvanov admitted that before 1989 there was a file on him at the former Communist Security Service (Darzhavna Sigurnost, or DS) under the nickname Gotse (to the revolutionary Gotse Delchev) for his scientific assistance on Macedonian topics. The file like most other files of the Security Service hasn't been released to the public for a while (now is available online). According to Parvanov's own statement, the file only shows that he had been consulted as a historian in conjunction with the writing of a memoir book about events related to the Macedonian Question in the 19th century.^[1] That was confirmed by two members of parliamentary commissions that had examined the files of the Security Service earlier — Bogomil Bonev and Veselin Angelov.^[1] Two other members, Metodi Andreev and Evgeni Dimitrov, accused the former of lying and asserted that the historical research had only been a prelude, followed by Parvanov's consent to work as an agent and write a report about his institute.^[2]

President George W. Bush and President Georgi Parvanov shake hands, June 11, 2007, in Sofia, Bulgaria.

2006 elections

In his second election campaign the incumbent Parvanov came first with 64.047%^[3] of the first round, much ahead of the ultranationalist leader Volen Siderov with 21.486%^[3] and other candidates who scored little. But as Bulgarian law requires a turnout of at least 50% – voter turnout in the first round was 42.51%.^[4] – for a president to be elected in the first round, a second round was necessary and Parvanov had to face Siderov in a run-off.

The second round turned out to a decisive victory for Parvanov, who won around 75.9% of the votes as compared to Siderov's 24.1% (with turnout 41.11%),^[5] meaning that Parvanov became the first person to be democratically re-elected as President of Bulgaria.^[6]

Second mandate

In the second mandate of Georgi Parvanov as a President of Bulgaria, two governments changed - that of Sergei Stanishev and the current one of Boiko Borisov. As for the government of Stanishev Parvanov is often accused of not taking position about important matters, the critics even made Parvanov admit he actually proposed resignation of Stanishev as a PM before the end of Stanishev government's mandate in oder that the Socialist Party has more chances in the following parliamentary elections. At the beginning of coming into office of Borisov' cabinet, Parvanov faced regular argues with Finance Minister Simeon Djankov and later with Minister of Defence Aniu Anev, and indirectly with Minister of Education Sergei Ignatov. Arguments and tapes send to media reached such point that a proposal for impeachment reached in Bulgarian Parliament which had enough signed representers but in the last moment was not voted by the RZS party and thus failed parliamentary approval. Following the attempt for impeachment Parvanov quickly gained back his personal authority.

Parvanov in Slivnitsa, Bulgaria, 18 November 2010.

ABV (АБВ)

In summer 2010, Parvanov reached his platform ABV (Bulgarian: АБВ) the name constructed by the first three letters in Bulgarian alphabet which he claimed was neither a political party nor a preparation for registering such. However he visited many cities and had meetings with mayors which was a sign that some interpreted as a preparation for regional and further parliamentary elections. With the coming-out of the first sociological researches, it became clear ABV would not reach enough votes in the next elections and Parvanov moved his sight back to his party BSP. It was also suggested that ABV will move as a part of BSP at some point. While in 2013 virtually no media mentioned ABV in any context, in January 2014 Parvanov made what some media called "a disappointing attempt to restart the project",^[7] and others referred to ABV as an "officially frozen project".^[8]

Political Stances

Although the office of the Bulgarian President is largely representative and executive power lies within the government, Georgi Parvanov has played an active political role.

Iraq Oil for Food program (1998)

The report of the Special Commission of the United Nations into the misconducts of the Iraqi "Oil for food" suggests that in 1998 Saddam Hussein took bribes from the Bulgarian Socialist Party, then led by Parvanov and companies close to the party. Parvanov denied these allegations explaining that the party's financing was transparent and legitimate.^[9] No further evidence to support these claims was found.

Other

Bulgarian Christmas Charity Campaign (2003-present)

Georgi Parvanov initiated the "Bulgarian Christmas" campaign, a funds raised for the treatment of children and renovation of hospitals and health institutions. Bulgarian Christmas is a musical event each year at the time of Christmas in which Bulgarian performers sing their most popular songs in the audience of the President and his wife, and other VIP guests, the event is TV-broadcast on the national channel BNT and funds are being raised by sms and bank accounts.

Over the years, millions of euro have been donated by private individuals such as Igor Parvanov and foreign companies, and Parvanov as closely related to the campaign warrants that the money be spent as prescribed.^[10]

Honours

Foreign honours

•  Azerbaijan : Heydar Aliyev Order^[11]
•  Belgium : Grand Cordon of the Leopold^[12]
•  Brazil : Grand Cross of the Order of the Southern Cross
•  Estonia : Collar of the Order of the Cross of Terra Mariana
•  Latvia : 1st Class with Chain of the Order of the Three Stars
•  Lithuania : Grand Cross with Golden Chain of the Order of Vytautas the Great
•  Monaco : Grand Cross of the Order of Saint-Charles (26 November 2004) ^[13]
•  Norway : Knight Grand Cross of the Order of St. Olav

References and notes

Publications

Parvanov is an author of dozens of scientific articles. His monographs and books:

• Dimitar Blagoev and the Bulgarian National Problem 1879–1917, 1988
• From Bouzloudja to the Corona Theatre. An Attempt at a New Reading of Pages from the BSP's Social Democratic Period, 1995
• The Bulgarian Social Democracy and the Macedonian Issue at the End of the 19th century up to 1918, 1997
• Before and after the 10th, 2001

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Georgi Parvanov.

• Official Presidential Website of the President of the Republic of Bulgaria
• Personal website of Georgi Parvanov (Bulgarian)
• 2006 presidential election campaign website of Georgi Parvanov
• Bulgarian Presidential Office Pardoned 431 Criminals

v t e Heads of state of Bulgaria (since 1946) People's Republic of Bulgaria Kolarov Naichev Damyanov Ganev Traikov Zhivkov Mladenov Republic of Bulgaria Mladenov Zhelev Stoyanov Parvanov Plevneliev