site.btaUPDATED Caretaker PM Appoints Eleven Deputy Ministers in Eight Ministries

Bulgaria’s caretaker Prime Minister Dimitar Glavchev has ordered the appointment of eleven deputy ministers in eight ministries, the Government Information Service said on Tuesday.

Radostin Iliev, Ivan Peykov, and Adelina Nikolova were appointed Deputy Defence Ministers, succeeding Stanimir Georgiev, who was relieved from the post.

Iliev is a Bulgarian officer and brigadier general. Until now, he was an adviser in the political cabinet at the Ministry of Defence. In January 2019 - June 2023, he headed the Defence Policy Directorate at the Ministry. Prior to that, he has served as Defence Staff Director and Deputy Military Representative to the EU Military Committee at Bulgaria's Permanent Representation to the EU in Brussels. Between 2005 and 2008, he served in the Permanent Delegation of Bulgaria to NATO in Brussels.

Peykov holds a degree in law from the St. Kliment Ohridski University of Sofia. He has been a long-serving official in the Defence Ministry.

Nikolova was, until now, the Director of the Public Procurement Directorate at the Defence Ministry. She has previously worked as an expert in the Ministry. She has also served as an expert in the political cabinet at the Ministry of Regional Development and Public Works, where she was responsible for major international projects. She has extensive experience in the private sector.

Alexander Yolovski was appointed Deputy Minister of E-governance. He has many years of experience in strategic planning, implementation, coordination, and control of activities related to administrative reform and e-governance in public administration. Since the establishment of the Ministry of E-governance in 2021 until August 2022, he has held the position of Deputy Minister. In 2016 - 2019, he served as Deputy Chair of the State e-Government Agency. From 2011 to 2015, he successively headed a department in the Finance Ministry and the administration of the Council of Ministers. He has held senior positions at the National System Integrator for different periods between 2015 and 2023. In June 2023 - April 2024, he served as Minister of E-governance.

Lazar Lazarov and Natalia Efremova were appointed Deputy Ministers of Labour and Social Policy. Elka Nalbantova was released from the post.

Lazarov holds a master's degree in economics from the University of National and World Economy. Since 1995, he has held successively consulting, expert, and managerial positions in the National Employment Agency, the Bulgarian Industrial Association, the Economic and Social Council, the National Assembly, the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy and the Working Conditions Fund. He has served as Deputy Minister of Labour and Social Policy, caretaker Deputy Prime Minister, and Minister of Labour and Social Policy.

Efremova graduated in law from Sofia University and holds a master's degree in economics from the St. Cyril and St. Methodius University of Veliko Tarnovo. Efremova has worked in the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy, where she served as Deputy Minister from August 2022 to June 2023.

Stoyan Andonov was appointed Deputy Minister of Youth and Sports, succeeding Ivo Katsarov and Daniela Dasheva, who were released from their posts.

Andonov holds a master's degree from the Vasil Levski National Sports Academy. He served as Director of the Water Rescue Service of the Bulgarian Red Cross from 1993 to 2006 and as Deputy Minister of Youth and Sports from 2018 to 2021.

Yura Yordanova-Vitanova was appointed Deputy Minister of Regional Development and Public Works. She holds a master's degree in law from New Bulgarian University. Since 2017, she has been Director of the Public Procurement Directorate at the Ministry of Regional Development and Regional Development. From 2020 to 2021, she served as Deputy Chair of the Supervisory Board of Bulgarian Water and Sewerage Holding EAD. From 2012 to 2017, she was a state expert at the Operational Programme Environment Directorate General in the Environment and Water Ministry. Prior to that, she has worked at the Commission for Protection of Competition.

Biserka Tsaneva was appointed Deputy Minister of Justice. She holds a master's degree in law from Sofia University. Since 2012, she has been a judge at the Supreme Administrative Court.

David Sukalinski was appointed Deputy Minister of Economy and Industry. In 2015 – 2021, he served as Deputy Chair of the Patent Office of the Republic of Bulgaria. He has also served as Administrative Director of the National Company Industrial Zones PLC.

Ivan Kapitanov was appointed Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Food. His predecessors Alexander Yotsev and Georgi Toshev have been relieved from their posts. Kapitanov has served as Deputy Executive Director of the State Fund Agricultur and Port of Burgas Board of Directors Chair. He has also worked at the Ministry of Agriculture and Food and the Ministry of Finance.

Michail Okoliyski and Ilko Getov were released as Deputy Ministers of Health. Chavdar Georgiev was relieved of the post of Deputy Minister of Culture. Irena Dimitrova was released as Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Genka Petrova-Tashkova as Deputy Minister for Education and Science, and Ivaylo Shotev and Irina Shchonova as Deputy Ministers of Economy and Industry.

Later in the day, Glavchev ordered the appointment of Olya Dimitrova as Patent Office President. She succeeds Vladia Borisova.