Ivaylo Kalfin | |
|---|---|
Ивайло Калфин | |
 Official portrait, 2009 | |
| Deputy Prime Minister of Bulgaria | |
| In office 7 November 2014 – 18 May 2016 Serving with Tomislav Donchev andMeglena Kuneva | |
| Prime Minister | Boyko Borisov |
| Preceded by | Ekaterina Zakharieva Hristo Ivanov |
| Succeeded by | Vacant |
| In office 17 August 2005 – 27 July 2009 Serving with Emel Etem Toshkova | |
| Prime Minister | Sergey Stanishev |
| Preceded by | Nikolay Vasilev Plamen Panayotov Lydia Shouleva |
| Succeeded by | Tsvetan Tsvetanov Simeon Dyankov |
| Minister of Labour and Social Policy | |
| In office 7 November 2014 – 18 May 2016 | |
| Prime Minister | Boyko Borisov |
| Preceded by | Yordan Hristoskov |
| Succeeded by | Zornitsa Rusinova |
| Member of the European Parliament forBulgaria | |
| In office 14 July 2009 – 30 June 2014 | |
| Preceded by | Kristian Vigenin |
| Succeeded by | Sergey Stanishev |
| Minister of Foreign Affairs | |
| In office 17 August 2005 – 27 July 2009 | |
| Prime Minister | Sergey Stanishev |
| Preceded by | Solomon Passy |
| Succeeded by | Rumiana Jeleva |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1964-05-30)30 May 1964 (age 60) Sofia,PR Bulgaria |
| Political party | Alternative for Bulgarian Revival |
| Other political affiliations | Communist Party(1988–1990) Socialist Party(1990–1997; 2001–2014) Euro-Left(1997–2001) |
| Children | 1 |
| Alma mater | University of National and World Economy Loughborough University |
Ivaylo Georgiev Kalfin (Bulgarian:Ивайло Георгиев Калфин; born 30 May 1964) is aBulgarian politician. A three-term deputy, he was Minister of Foreign Affairs of Bulgaria and Deputy Prime Minister from 2005 to 2009 in theStanishev Cabinet. Kalfin was aMember of European Parliament between 2009 and 2014.[1] Between 7 November 2014 and May 2016 he served as Deputy Prime-Minister of Bulgaria, and Minister of Labor and Social Policy in theSecond Borisov Cabinet.
Born inSofia, Kalfin completed his high school studies in theLycée Français de Sofia. He later received his higher education at theUniversity of National and World Economy (1983–1988) andLoughborough University (1998–1999). His foreign language skills includeEnglish,French,Russian andSpanish. 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 theBulgarian National Bank's Consultative Council since 2004. He observed the elections inKosovo in 2001 and 2004 as part ofOrganization for Security and Co-operation in Europe 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 thePresident of Bulgaria,Georgi Parvanov. He became the Minister of Foreign Affairs and a Deputy Prime Minister in 2005. He is a member ofInternet Society - Bulgaria.
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 misinterpretation and misappropriation of theBulgarian history by theRepublic of Macedonia, saying that:[2][3]
We have declared our support for[the Republic of] Macedonia's [EU] membership. But I have to say immediately that it would not be normal for this support to be unconditional. There are criteria that have to be fulfilled. We would particularly much insist on the observance of the principles of good-neighbour relations and the lack of aggression towards the Bulgarian nation or history on behalf of the Macedonian authorities.
On 28 July 2006 Kalfin appealed to the Skopje authorities to replace the director of the Macedonian cultural and informational centre in Sofia Stefan Vlahov-Mitsov:
The Macedonian authorities should clearly prove that it is inadmissible for an official of a diplomatic representation abroad to participate in that country's political life.
His statement was provoked by Mitsov's alleged participation in the management ofUMO Ilinden-Pirin, a controversial party largely regarded asMacedonist and anti-Bulgarian by the Bulgarian public.
In the European Parliament, Kalfin served as:
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Minister of Foreign Affairs 2005–2009 | Succeeded by |
Second Borisov Cabinet (2014–2017) | ||
|---|---|---|
 | ||
