Georgi Parvanov

In thisBulgarian name,thepatronymicisSedefchovand thefamily nameisParvanov.

"Parvanov" redirects here. For other people named Parvanov, seeParvanov (surname).

Georgi Sedefchov Parvanov(Bulgarian:Георги Седефчов Първанов,IPA:[ɡɛˈɔrɡipɐrˈvanof]) (born 28 June 1957) is a Bulgarian historian and politician who wasPresident of Bulgariafrom 2002 to 2012. He was elected after defeating incumbentPetar Stoyanovin the second round of theNovember 2001 presidential election.He took office on 22 January 2002. He was reelected in a landslide victory in2006,becoming the first Bulgarian president to serve two terms. Parvanov supported Bulgaria's entry intoNATOand theEuropean Union.

Georgi Parvanov
Георги Първанов
Parvanov in 2008
3rdPresident of Bulgaria
In office 22 January 2002 – 22 January 2012
Prime Minister	Simeon Sakskoburggotski Sergey Stanishev Boyko Borisov
Vice President	Angel Marin
Preceded by	Petar Stoyanov
Succeeded by	Rosen Plevneliev
Leader of the Bulgarian Socialist Party
In office 21 December 1996 – 5 December 2001
Preceded by	Zhan Videnov
Succeeded by	Sergey Stanishev
Member of the National Assembly
In office 12 January 1995 – 29 November 2001
Constituency	2nd MMC - Burgas
Personal details
Born	(1957-06-28)28 June 1957 Sirishtnik,Bulgaria
Political party	Alternative for Bulgarian Revival(2014–present)
Other political affiliations	Communist Party(1981–1990) Socialist Party(1990–2002; 2012–2014) Independent(2002–2012)
Spouse	Zorka Parvanova ​ (m.1983)​
Children	Vladimir, Ivaylo
Alma mater	Sofia University
Awards	Order of the Southern Cross
Signature

According to Bulgarian law, a Bulgarian president is not allowed to be a member of a political party, thus Parvanov left theBulgarian Socialist Party(BSP) after his election in 2001. Although he identified as asocialist,Parvanov often called himself a 'social president'.

After completing his second term as president, Parvanov returned to the Socialist Party, prompting a dispute over the party leadership. In January 2014 Parvanov restarted hisAlternative for Bulgarian Revival(ABV) project, announcing he would be fielding his own candidates for the2014 European parliamentary elections.On 15 January 2017, he stepped down as party leader and was replaced byKonstantin Prodanov.

Biography

Early years

Georgi Parvanov was born inSirishtnik,Pernik Provinceon 28 June 1957 and he grew up in nearbyKosacha.In 1975 Parvanov graduated from secondary school inPernikand in 1981 finished his undergraduate education atSofia University,gaining a major in history, specializing in the history of theBulgarian Communist Party.In 1988 Parvanov defended his doctoral thesis in history, which is titled "Dimitar Blagoevand the Bulgarian national question 1879-1917 ".

Professional career

Parvanov joined the Institute for History of the Bulgarian Communist Party as a researcher in 1981. His main interest was the Bulgarian national issue and the early history of social democracy in Bulgaria. In 1989 he was promoted to a senior research associate.

In May 2001 he became a member of the Internet Society of Bulgaria.

Political career

Early political career

In 1981 Parvanov joined theBulgarian Communist Party.In April 1990 the party was transformed into theBulgarian Socialist Party.In 1989 Parvanov formed the nationalist organization "Nationwide Committee for the Defense of National Interests" (Bulgarian: Общонароден комитет за защита на националните интереси).In 1994 he became Deputy Chairman of the BSP national Council. It was also in that year that he waselectedto theNational Assembly;he was reelected in1997and2001.Parvanov was chairman of the Parliamentary Group for Friendship with Greece and member of the Parliamentary Committee on Radio and Television from 1994 to 1997.

Leader of the Bulgarian Socialist Party

Because of a severefinancial crisis,the Prime Minister and leader of the BSP,Zhan Videnov,resigned in December 1996. Georgi Parvanov was elected as his successor that month.However, after largeprotestsagainst the socialist government in January 1997, Parvanov andNikolay Dobrev(the nominated Prime Minister) returned the mandate to form a government.In the early parliamentaryelectionsthat ensued, the Socialist Party went into opposition, swept away by theUnion of Democratic Forces(SDS).

In 2000 Parvanov was reelected as Chairman of the National Council of the BSP. He has been credited with altering the geopolitical orientation of the party, paving the way for Bulgaria's joining ofNATOin 2004.

Parvanov led his party to its worst electoral performance in2001.Both the BSP and the SDS suffered greatly from the rise of the newly foundedNational Movement for Simeon II.

2001 presidential election

Main article:2001 Bulgarian presidential election

In the first round of the 2001 presidential election, Parvanov won 36.4% of the votes, finishing ahead of the incumbent SDS candidate,Petar Stoyanov,who polled 34.9% of the votes. The voter turnout was the lowest to date: only 41.8%. Parvanov emerged victorious in the runoff, winning 54.1% of the votes. Voter turnout was significantly higher in the second round: 55.1%. Following his victory,Sergei Stanishevtook over the party leadership. Parvanov took office on 22 January 2002, becoming the first ex-Communist to win the presidency since 1990.

2006 presidential election

Main article:2006 Bulgarian presidential election

In 2006 he ran for re-election. He was backed by the rulingtriple coalition,who won 70% of the seats in parliamentthe year before.He won first round on 22 October with 64 per cent of the vote. Because the turnout was less than 50%, he faced the nationalistVolen Siderovat therunoffon 29 October. Parvanov won with 76 per cent of the vote. This made Parvanov the first President to be reelected in Bulgaria.

Second mandate

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

Parvanov with Russian PresidentVladimir Putinin Sofia, 18 January 2008

Parvanov meeting with President of ArgentinaCristina Fernández de Kirchner,on 11 November 2008

Parvanov with Greek Prime MinisterGeorge Papandreou,on 25 November 2009

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 order that the Socialist Party has more chances in thefollowing parliamentary elections.At the beginning of theFirst Borisov Government,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 inSlivnitsa,Bulgaria, 18 November 2010.

ABV (АБВ)

In summer 2010, Parvanov reached his platformABV(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",and others referred to ABV as an "officially frozen project".

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. His political views, for example in the context of theKosovo War,have been described as pro-Russian.

Criticisms

Collaboration with Committee for State Security

In 2006 Parvanov admitted that before 1989 there was a file on him at theCommunist Security Service(Darzhavna Sigurnost,or DS) under the nickname "Gotse" (for the revolutionaryGotse 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 (it is now 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 theMacedonian Questionin the 19th century.That was confirmed by two members of parliamentary commissions that had examined the files of the Security Service earlier — Bogomil Bonev and Veselin Angelov.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.

Iraq Oil for Food program (1998)

The report of the Special Commission of the United Nations into the misconduct 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.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 amusical eventeach year at the time of Christmas in whichBulgarianperformers sing their most popular songs in the audience of the President and his wife, and other VIP guests. The event isTV-broadcast on the national channelBNTand funds are being raised by donations throughSMSand bank transfers.

Over the years, millions ofeurohave 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.

Family

Parvanov has two children with his wife,Zorka Parvanova:Vladimir and Ivaylo. Parvanov has two grandchildren from his son Vladimir: Georgi (born 2011) and Victoria (born 2015).

Honours

Foreign honours

Parvanov with theHeydar Aliyev Order.

• Azerbaijan:Heydar Aliyev Order
• Belgium:Grand Cordon of theLeopold
• Brazil:Knight Grand Cross of theOrder of the Southern Cross
• Denmark:Knight of theOrder of the Elephant(29 March 2006)
• Estonia:Collar of theOrder of the Cross of Terra Mariana(30 May 2003)
• Latvia:1st Class with Chain of theOrder of the Three Stars
• Lithuania:Knight Grand Cross with Golden Chain of theOrder of Vytautas the Great(13 March 2009)
• Malta:Companion of Honour with Collar of theNational Order of Merit(20 October 2009)
• Monaco:Knight Grand Cross of theOrder of Saint-Charles(26 November 2004)
• Norway:Knight Grand Cross of theOrder of St. Olav(29 August 2006)
• Spain:Collar of theOrder of Civil Merit(7 June 2003)
• Portugal:Grand Collar of theOrder of Prince Henry(7 October 2002)

Bibliography

Lilov, Grigor (2013).Най-богатите българи(1st ed.). Sofia: "Кайлас" ЕООД.ISBN978-954-92098-9-1.

Prodanov, Vasil; Todorov, Antoniy; Avramov, Yosif; Ivanova, Vanya (2009).Българският парламент и преходът(1st ed.). Sofia: Ciela.ISBN978-954-28-0352-2.

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

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