Ivaylo Kalfin
Encyclopedia
Ivaylo Georgiev Kalfin (born 30 May 1964) is a Bulgaria
n politician. A three-term deputy, he was Minister of Foreign Affairs of Bulgaria and Deputy Prime Minister from 2005 to 2009. He is currently a member of European Parliament.
, Kalfin received his higher education at the University of National and World Economy
(1983–1988) and the Loughborough University
(1998–1999). His foreign language skills include English
, French
, Russian
and Spanish
. He is married and has a daughter.
Kalfin founded the Social Democrats National Movement and served as the deputy president of the Common Parliamentary Committee Bulgaria-European Union
between 1995 and 1998. A deputy in the 37th (1994-1997), 38th (2000-2001) and 40th (since 2005) National Assembly of Bulgaria
, Kalfin has been part of the Bulgarian National Bank
's Consultative Council since 2004. He observed the elections in Kosovo
in 2001 and 2004 as part of OSCE missions in the region and has also worked as a senior university lecturer and manager in several consulting companies.
Between 2002 and 2005, he was also an economic advisor to the President of Bulgaria, Georgi Parvanov
. He became the Minister of Foreign Affairs and a Deputy Prime Minister in 2005. He is a member of Internet Society - Bulgaria
, saying that:
On 28 July 2006 Kalfin appealed to the Skopje authorities to replace the director of the Macedonian cultural and informational center in Sofia Stefan Vlahov-Mitsov:
His statement was provoked by Mitsov's alleged participation in the management of UMO Ilinden-Pirin
, a controversial party largely regarded as Macedonist and anti-Bulgarian by the Bulgarian public.
Bulgaria
Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
n politician. A three-term deputy, he was Minister of Foreign Affairs of Bulgaria and Deputy Prime Minister from 2005 to 2009. He is currently a member of European Parliament.
Biography
Born in SofiaSofia
Sofia is the capital and largest city of Bulgaria and the 12th largest city in the European Union with a population of 1.27 million people. It is located in western Bulgaria, at the foot of Mount Vitosha and approximately at the centre of the Balkan Peninsula.Prehistoric settlements were excavated...
, Kalfin received his higher education at the University of National and World Economy
University of National and World Economy
The University of National and World Economy is a university located in Sofia, Bulgaria.- History :University of National and World Economy is one of the biggest and oldest higher educational institutions of economics in the Republic of Bulgaria and South Eastern Europe with a history of almost...
(1983–1988) and the Loughborough University
Loughborough University
Loughborough University is a research based campus university located in the market town of Loughborough, Leicestershire, in the East Midlands of England...
(1998–1999). His foreign language skills include English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
, French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
, Russian
Russian language
Russian is a Slavic language used primarily in Russia, Belarus, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. It is an unofficial but widely spoken language in Ukraine, Moldova, Latvia, Turkmenistan and Estonia and, to a lesser extent, the other countries that were once constituent republics...
and Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
. He is married and has a daughter.
Kalfin founded the Social Democrats National Movement and served as the deputy president of the Common Parliamentary Committee Bulgaria-European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
between 1995 and 1998. A deputy in the 37th (1994-1997), 38th (2000-2001) and 40th (since 2005) National Assembly of Bulgaria
National Assembly of Bulgaria
The National Assembly of Bulgaria is the unicameral parliament and body of the legislative of the Republic of Bulgaria.The National Assembly of Bulgaria was established in 1879 with the Constitution of Bulgaria.-Ordinary National Assembly:...
, Kalfin has been part of the Bulgarian National Bank
Bulgarian National Bank
The Bulgarian National Bank is the central bank of the Republic of Bulgaria with its headquarters in Sofia. The BNB has been established on 25 January 1879. It is an independent institution responsible for issuing all banknotes and coins in the country, overseeing and regulating the banking sector...
's Consultative Council since 2004. He observed the elections in Kosovo
Kosovo
Kosovo is a region in southeastern Europe. Part of the Ottoman Empire for more than five centuries, later the Autonomous Province of Kosovo and Metohija within Serbia...
in 2001 and 2004 as part of OSCE missions in the region and has also worked as a senior university lecturer and manager in several consulting companies.
Between 2002 and 2005, he was also an economic advisor to the President of Bulgaria, Georgi Parvanov
Georgi Parvanov
Georgi Sedefchov Parvanov is a President of Bulgaria, whose second and last mandate expires on January 22, 2012; he was elected after defeating his predecessor Petar Stoyanov in the second round of the presidential elections in November 2001 and he came into office on January 22, 2002...
. He became the Minister of Foreign Affairs and a Deputy Prime Minister in 2005. He is a member of Internet Society - Bulgaria
Internet Society - Bulgaria
Internet Society - Bulgaria is a non-governmental organization , founded on December 4, 1995, in Sofia by a group of Bulgarian Internet professionals.- History :ISOC-Bulgaria was founded in 1995...
Relations with the Republic of Macedonia
On 24 July 2006, at the opening of a working conference with the heads of Bulgarian embassies and consulates abroad, Kalfin became the first Bulgarian Foreign Minister to publicly voice his opinion against the mininterpretation and misappropriation of the Bulgarian history by the Republic of MacedoniaRepublic of Macedonia
Macedonia , officially the Republic of Macedonia , is a country located in the central Balkan peninsula in Southeast Europe. It is one of the successor states of the former Yugoslavia, from which it declared independence in 1991...
, saying that:
On 28 July 2006 Kalfin appealed to the Skopje authorities to replace the director of the Macedonian cultural and informational center in Sofia Stefan Vlahov-Mitsov:
His statement was provoked by Mitsov's alleged participation in the management of UMO Ilinden-Pirin
UMO Ilinden-Pirin
United Macedonian Organisation: Ilinden–Pirin is an ethnic Macedonian organisation in Bulgaria, whose self-declared aims are protection of the human rights, language and nationality of the Macedonian minority in the country...
, a controversial party largely regarded as Macedonist and anti-Bulgarian by the Bulgarian public.
European Parliament
In the European Parliament, Kalfin is serving as:- Vice-chairman of the Committee on Budgets,
- Member of the Special Committee on the Financial, Economic and Social Crisis
- Member of the Delegation for relations with Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro and Kosovo
- Substitute at the Committee on Budgetary Control
- Substitute at the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy
- Substitute at the Delegation for relations with the countries of South Asia