Georgi Sedefchov Parvanov
Георги Седефчов Първанов
Георги Седефчов Първанов
22 January 2002
Sergey Stanishev
Sirishtnik
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Georgi Sedefchov Parvanov
Георги Седефчов Първанов |
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| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office 22 January 2002 |
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| Prime Minister | Simeon Saxe-Coburg Gotha Sergey Stanishev |
| Vice President | Angel Marin |
| Preceded by | Petar Stoyanov |
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| Born | 28 June 1957 Sirishtnik |
| Political party | BSP |
| Spouse | Zorka Parvanova |
Georgi Sedefchov Parvanov (Bulgarian: Георги Седефчов Първанов) (born 28 June 1957) has been president of Bulgaria since 22 January 2002. Parvanov became president after defeating his predecessor, Petar Stoyanov, in the second round of the November 2001 presidential election. He retained his position following the elections in 2006. Parvanov declares that is in favour of Bulgarian membership of NATO and the European Union. He identifies as a socialist but left the Bulgarian Socialist Party after he had been elected president, as the president is not allowed to be a political party member. On election, his programme was to be a 'social' president, with care towards poor, unemployed and disadvantaged people. Parvanov helped in the creation of a three-party government coalition on 16 August 2005.
Georgi Parvanov was born in the village of Sirishtnik, Pernik Province on June 28, 1957. He grew in the nearby village Kosacha. In 1975 he finished a secondary school in Pernik and in 1981 he finished history at the Sofia University, speciality "History of Bulgarian Communistic Party". In 1988 he defended a doctorate thesis in history with the title "Dimitar Blagoev and the Bulgarian national question 1879-1917".
Dozens of scientific articles, monographs and books, including:
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). The file, which, like most files of the Security Service, hasn't been released to the public, does not prove beyond reasonable doubt that he has actually been an agent at the DS, and those who have had access to it disagree as to what it contains. 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 from one hundred years ago and especially the Macedonian Question.[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 first two 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]
A year later, on 19 July 2007, a special Commission for Opening the Files determined officially that the President Georgi Parvanov was listed as a secret police collaborator of the former Communist Security Service from 1989 till 1993.[3] He was recruited a month before Bulgaria's communist regime collapsed. It also became obvious that a large part of his secret file was missing.
In the first round of the elections, incumbent Parvanov came first with 64.047%[4] ahead of ultranationalist leader Volen Siderov with 21.486%,[4] whom he had to face in a run-off, as Bulgarian law requires a turnout of at least 50% for a president to be elected in the first round. The voter turnout in the first round was 42.51%.[5]
The second round saw a decisive Parvanov victory of around 75.9% as opposed to Siderov's 24.1%, meaning that Parvanov became the first person to be democratically re-elected as President of Bulgaria.[6] The turnout was 41.11%.[7]
Although the office of the Bulgarian President is largely representative and executive power lies within the government,George Parvanov has played an active political role. Georgi Parvanov has been implicated in a number of controversies, which has lead many of Bulgaria's opposition parties as well as leading politicians and intellectuals to call for his impeachment. Some of the notable events and controversies in Paravnov's presidency are listed below.
At the end of 2002, despite the protests of 18 religious organizations and NGOs, Parvanov signed into law the Religious Orders Act.In this law the Bulgarian Orthodox Church, as cited in the Bulgarian Constitution has been recognized as the "traditional denomination" of the country. The law also tries to overcome the division of the Orthodox church by supporting the Communist time leadership headed by ppatriarch Maxmim.
The enactment of the law results in the violent expulsion of many orthodox priests, opposed to Maxim from their churches on the night of 20/21 July 2004.
Georgi Parvanov initiated the "Bulgarian Christmas" campaign. The funds raised were used for the treatment of sick children and renovating hospitals and health institutions. Over the years more than 2 mln. EUR have been donated by private individuals and companies.
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 lead by Parvanov and companies close to the party.
Parvanov denies any involvement of the BSP. The case has not been fully investigated, since the Prosecutor's office , headed by Parvanov former judicial advisor, Boris Velchev, would not begin an investigation into the case. [8]
On the day ( 14.11.2001), when the Bulgarian court convicted the Roma member of parliament Tsvetelin Kanchev of assault and extortion, Kanchev declared his support for Parvanov for the upcoming presidential elections. The judge presiding of the Kanchev Trial - Neli Kutskova, sent an open letter to the president, in which she urges the president not to endorse the support of a convicted criminal. Neli Kutskova also asked whether president Parvanov would pardon Kanchev if elected.
In April 2005, the remaining prison term for Tsvetelin Kanchev has been commuted by Parvanov's vice-president - Angel Marin. Marin claims the reason to pardon Kanchev is his good behaviour.
After the elections of 2005, the Bulgarian parliament fails twice to ellect a prime minister and a government. As per the Bulgarian constitution Parvanov offered the third largest party - the DPS - Movement for Rights and Freedom to form a government. The resulting coalition between the BSP ( Bulgarian Soclialist Party), NDSV ( National Movement, Simeon the Second), DPS is largely regarded as Parvanov, creation. He persionally initiates its creation.
In 2006 Georgi Parvanov signs a decree, appointing the controversion former chief prosecutor of Bulgaria - Nikola Filchev as an embassador to Kazakhstan. His nomination as all ambassador nominations comes from the Ministerial Council. The appointment and Filchev's behavior cause a series of scandals - Filchev initially stays in Bulgaria and refuses to take his position, while the National Radio airs a recording of Filchev swearing at a journalist. Parvanov and the Bulgarian government do not reac to the incident.
During the presidential campaign of 2006, on the 8th of October, in his political program - "V Dessetkata" ("The Bull's Eye") on BTv ( Bulgaria's most popular private TV channel), the presenter Ivo Indjev, announces that he received an anonymous letter, claiming that Georgi Parvanov received a penthouse aparement, worth 100 000 EUR, as a gift from the arms trader Petar Mandzhukov. Parvanov had previously awarded Mandzhukov state honours. The Parvnov camp call the information a libel. Ivo Indzhev is subsequently forced to leave the television by its manager. The manager of BTV calls Indzhev's conduct "a brazen violation of journalistic ethics and the main principles of serious journalism". Indzhev replied that BTV has been forced to fire him by Parvanov himself. The firing causes a scandal. The Bulgarian Media Coalition of which Indzhev is also a member, examines the case and finds no misconduct on Indzhev's side. Subsequently, it calls for Paravanov to request Indzhev restoration. The President rejects the request claiming he cannot intervene in private medias affairs. [9]
On the 5th of March 2005, a few days after the deadly fire on the Sofia - Kardam train which leaves 8 people dead, the regional "Struma" newspaper, publishes a story that a day after the accident Parvanov went on a hunting trip in the vicinity of Similti. Initially Parvnov denies the report and then admits visiting Simitli, but denies he went hunting. The member of parliament Stoian Prodanov, who accompanied Parvanov confirms he himself went hunting there, but declined to give any information on the president's actons. [10]
In the spring of 2008 Bulgaria's media unearth a series of findings of secret meetings and contacts of high ranking Interior Ministry officials with Bulgarian Mafia bosses and the resulting backlash against Rumen Petkov, Bulgaria's interior minister until May, 2008. Georgi Parvanov at first claims he has no information on the case and he has not been informed on purpose. Then Parvanov states his support for Petkov and claims that Petkov can reform Bulgaria's police.
When on an official visit to Uzbekistan in December 2008, Parvanov was taken by his hosts to visited the Nuratinsky National Park. There Parvanov shot a rare and protected male arhar (Marco Polo sheep). The President actions caused outrage in the Bulgarian public.[11]
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Georgi Parvanov |
| Political offices | ||
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| Preceded by Petar Stoyanov |
President of Bulgaria 2002 – present |
Incumbent |
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| Persondata | |
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| NAME | Parvanov, Georgi Sedefchov |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | Георги Седефчов Първанов (Bulgarian) |
| SHORT DESCRIPTION | president of Bulgaria |
| DATE OF BIRTH | 28 June 1957 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Sirishtnik, Bulgaria |
| DATE OF DEATH | living |
| PLACE OF DEATH | |
