Kiril Petkov | |
|---|---|
Кирил Петков | |
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| Prime Minister of Bulgaria | |
| In office 13 December 2021 – 2 August 2022 | |
| President | Rumen Radev |
| Deputy | Assen Vassilev Korneliya Ninova Borislav Sandov Grozdan Karadjov Kalina Konstantinova |
| Preceded by | Stefan Yanev |
| Succeeded by | Galab Donev |
| Member of the National Assembly | |
| In office 19 October 2022 – 3 July 2025 | |
| Constituency | 23rd MMC - Sofia |
| Leader of We Continue the Change | |
| In office 19 September 2021 – 25 June 2025 Serving with Assen Vassilev | |
| Preceded by | Position established |
| Succeeded by | Assen Vassilev (acting) |
| Minister of Economy and Industry | |
| In office 12 May 2021 – 16 September 2021 | |
| Prime Minister | Stefan Yanev |
| Preceded by | Lachezar Borisov |
| Succeeded by | Daniela Vezieva |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Kiril Petkov Petkov (1980-04-17)17 April 1980 (age 45) |
| Citizenship | |
| Political party | DaB (2017–2021) PP (2021–present) |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 3 |
| Education | |
| Occupation |
|
Kiril Petkov Petkov (Bulgarian:Кирил Петков Петков; born 17 April 1980) is a Bulgarian politician, economist, and entrepreneur, who served asPrime Minister of Bulgaria from December 2021 to August 2022.[1] He was the co-founder ofWe Continue the Change, a political party, alongsideAssen Vassilev.
Petkov was born inPlovdiv, but grew up inSofia and was educated by his parents, who were both teachers. He grew up with grandparents from different parts of his family. He holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree in finance from theUniversity of British Columbia and a Master of Business Administration degree fromHarvard University.
Petkov and Vassilev stated that they would start their own political project that would be an alternative anti-corruption party which could be seen as a "uniting force" between the other parties. Petkov, together withAssen Vassilev, they both formed the coalitionWe Continue the Change in late September 2021. Beforehand, they held temporary ministerial posts inStefan Yanev's government. Stopping corruption, creating more possibilities for small and medium-sized firms, and luring high-tech investments have been the party's top concerns.[2]
He became prime minister after the2021 Bulgarian general election, which his party reached a deal to form a coalition with the left-wingBulgarian Socialist Party (BSP), the populistThere is Such a People (ITN) and the liberalDemocratic Bulgaria, united under the motto "zero tolerance to corruption", for a four-year term Together, they have 134 seats in Bulgaria’s 240-seat parliament.[3] During his tenure, he opted for real diversification "tr" by constructing agas interconnector fromKomotini toStara Zagora together withKyriakos Mitsotakis, which Azeri gas would pass through.[4][5] In foreign policy, Petkov advocated his support forUkraine during theRussian invasion of Ukraine and anonymously supplied it because of the pro-Moscow politicians in government.[6] His coalition government collapsed in June 2022 and put the blame onRussia and theBulgarian mafia.[7]
Petkov was born on 17 April 1980, inPlovdiv. Both his parents were teachers, as his father taught biology, while his mother taught literature. He grew up spending time with his grandparents from the villagesSokolovo,Lovech Province, andGramade, Kyustendil Province, which belong to different sides of his family.[8] He holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree in finance from theUniversity of British Columbia in Vancouver and a Master of Business Administration degree fromHarvard University, where he was ranked in the top 10% of his class.[9] One of his lecturers wasMichael Porter, with whom he specialized in the development of cluster strategies.[10] Petkov is one of the founders of the Center for Economic Strategies and Competitiveness atSofia University (affiliated with Harvard University), where he has taught classes ineconomic development and microeconomics of competitiveness.[10][11][12]
Kiril Petkov's father, Petko Petkov, was born in Sofia on 13 June 1958. He was a very low-income student who hardly completed his secondary school. After being turned down for admission to Sofia University, he applied for a biology degree atPlovdiv University during his second year of living in the barracks. His colleague from the barracks took the entrance exam instead of him, as military books are easy to forge. So he was accepted as a student at Plovdiv University. In the first year of his studies he met Kiril's mother - Veneta Petkova fromDupnitsa.[13] During his student years between 1979 and 1983, Petko developed an attraction to sports like skiing and sailing, and from 1979 to 1983, he studied martial arts.[14]
His mother, Veneta Petkova, taughtBulgarian language andliterature before moving overseas with her family.[15] Her birthplace is Plovdiv. Between 1977 and 1982, she completed her studies in Bulgarian Philology with a focus on Linguistics and Literature at Plovdiv University. While she was a student, she gave birth to her only son, Kiril Petkov.[16][17]
From 2001 to 2005, Petkov worked for the Canadian food companyMcCain Foods as a corporate development manager.[10] Since 2007, he has been developing projects in the field of high value-added innovation, and his company ProViotik holds several patents in biotechnology in the United States.[10][18] He oversees ProViotik, which is a Bulgarian business that has found success in the American, European, and Asian markets by developing cutting-edgebioproducts in collaboration with experts from across the globe. He developed a probiotic based on the Bulgarian strain ofLactobacillus bulgaricus, which is extracted fromsnowdrops and is then cultivated in carrot juice rather than milk.[19][20]
On 11 January 2017, Petkov was elected in the executive board of the newly formed political partyYes, Bulgaria!.[21]
From 12 May to 16 September 2021, Petkov served as Minister of Economy in thecaretaker government ofStefan Yanev.[10] Petkov succeeded Lachezar Borisov at the ministry today during a formal ceremony. In a discussion, the two talked about the difficulties confronting the Bulgarian economy and the steps made to support Bulgarian companies operating inside the Ministry's system during a difficult time.[22] In order to maintain the stability of the Bulgarian economy, he stated that he will strive for transparency, professionalism, and responsible conduct in the upcoming months.[22] Petkov, together withAssen Vassilev, proposed a scheme at the beginning of theCOVID-19 pandemic to enable firms to continue operating, with employees undergoing testing on a regular basis to prevent the need to close. The health officials ruled it out as medically unnecessary, but during that time, when the pandemic continued, Petkov had to deal with economic difficulties.[23] In his first television appearance as a minister, Petkov revealed that the state-controlledBulgarian Development Bank had distributed 500 million euros in loans to just eight companies owned by four businessmen.[24] He condemned the practice as 'outrageous' and initiated an audit of how loans had been allocated.[25]
On 19 September 2021, Petkov andAssen Vassilev launched their political projectWe Continue the Change (PP), an anti-corruption party seeking to be the uniting force that could bring all the other like-minded parties together to form a government.[26] Both had been popular ministers in the Yanev caretaker government, but originally met while studying atHarvard Business School.[27]
On 27 October 2021, theConstitutional Court of Bulgaria retroactively overturned the decree appointing Petkov asMinister of Economy due to his status as adual citizen, as theConstitution of Bulgaria states that ministers must only be Bulgarian citizens.[28] Although the position was retracted from him, his actions in the role were not nullified.[28] Political opponents of Petkov, which includedLozan Panov, a presidential candidate and chairman of theSupreme Court of Cassation of Bulgaria, called for action to be taken on the issue.[29] Petkov was previously a citizen ofCanada, and stated that he had renounced his citizenship in April 2021, but Canadian government documents showed that the procedure was not officially completed until August 2021.[30]
The partyWe Continue the Change had to run in the elections as part of an electoral coalition with one or more registered member parties because it was founded too late to get its own registration.Volt Bulgaria andMiddle European Class, the former of which just departed the legislative allianceIBG-NI, were the means via which this was accomplished. The coalition is in agreement that the state's governance reforms should continue, adhering to the zero corruption concept and halting the opaque leaking of public funds. The coalition's primary objectives are to establish an economic climate that facilitates the unrestricted growth of small and medium-sized enterprises, draw in high-tech, strategic investments, distribute public resources fairly and equitably, and uphold the rule of law. The statement stated that the union will prioritise funding for high-quality education, the creation of more accessible and inexpensive health care, contemporary infrastructure, and social policies that guarantee adequate incomes for the elderly.[31]
TheNovember elections showed that PP had come first but without a majority of seats. Petkov announced that his party would work will all parties who were willing to fight corruption in the country.[32] He later said he wanted to pursue "transparent" coalition negotiations withDemocratic Bulgaria (DB) andThere Is Such a People (ITN), and that he would be PP's nomination for prime minister,[33] and wished to excludeDPS andGERB.[34]
A series of talks on 18 policy areas were held between 23 November and 27 November, between the representatives of PP, theBulgarian Socialist Party (BSP), ITN and DB.[35] On 10 December, the leaders of the four parties confirmed that they had reached a coalition agreement, and would form Bulgaria's first regular government since theelection in April 2021.[36] Shortly after, PresidentRumen Radev announced that he had given themandate to form a government to Petkov.[37] On 12 December, Petkov presented the composition of theincoming government, which was approved by theNational Assembly on 13 December 2021.[38]
Petkov was electedprime minister of Bulgaria in theParliament of Bulgaria on 13 December 2021, with 134 votes in favour and 104 against, and his newgovernment was appointed on the same day by President Rumen Radev.[38]
| Portfolio | Minister | Took office | Left office | Party | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prime Minister[39] | Kiril Petkov | 13 December 2021 | 2 August 2022 | PP | |
| Deputy Prime Minister for EU funds Minister of Finance[40] | 13 December 2021 | 2 August 2022 | PP | ||
| Deputy Prime Minister for Good Governance[41] | 13 December 2021 | 2 August 2022 | PP | ||
| Deputy Prime Minister for Economy and Industry Minister of Economy and Industry[42] | 13 December 2021 | 2 August 2022 | BSPzB | ||
| Deputy Prime Minister for Regional Development and Public Works Minister of Regional Development and Public Works[43] | 13 December 2021 | 2 August 2022 | Independent | ||
| Deputy Prime Minister for Climate Policies Minister of Environment and Water[44] | 13 December 2021 | 2 August 2022 | DB | ||
| Minister of Education and Science[45] | 13 December 2021 | 2 August 2022 | Independent | ||
| Minister of Interior[46] | 13 December 2021 | 2 August 2022 | Independent | ||
| Minister of Defense[47] | 13 December 2021 | 1 March 2022 | Independent | ||
| 1 March 2022 | 2 August 2022 | PP | |||
| Minister of Health[48] | 13 December 2021 | 2 August 2022 | PP | ||
| Minister of Transport and Communications[49] | 13 December 2021 | 2 August 2022 | PP | ||
| Minister of Innovation and Growth[50] | 13 December 2021 | 2 August 2022 | PP | ||
| Minister of Culture[51] | 13 December 2021 | 2 August 2022 | PP | ||
| Minister of Labour and Social Policy[52] | 13 December 2021 | 2 August 2022 | BSPzB | ||
| Minister of Agriculture[53] | 13 December 2021 | 2 August 2022 | BSPzB | ||
| Minister of Tourism[54] | 13 December 2021 | 2 August 2022 | BSPzB | ||
| Minister of Foreign Affairs[55] | 13 December 2021 | 2 August 2022 | ITN | ||
| Minister of Energy[56] | 13 December 2021 | 2 August 2022 | ITN | ||
| Minister of Youth and Sports[57] | 13 December 2021 | 2 August 2022 | ITN | ||
| Minister of Justice[58] | 13 December 2021 | 2 August 2022 | DB | ||
| Minister of Electronic Governance[59] | 13 December 2021 | 2 August 2022 | DB | ||
On 19 March, Petkov was joined by US Secretary of DefenseLloyd J. Austin to announce that thePort of Varna andPort of Constanța would be joined by road and railroad connections as well as by energy infrastructure, in an effort to increase military mobility in the region. He said: "There will be a bridge over theDanube River... Logistics is just as important as military equipment... We can have really a working defense along the eastern flank [ofNATO]."[60]
In early June, Petkov's coalition partner,There Is Such a People, which had called for energy cooperation with Russia even afterGazprom cut off supplies to Bulgaria, withdrew from the coalition.[61] On 22 June, the government faced amotion of no confidence, which it lost.[62] Petkov formally resigned from his position as prime minister on 27 June, and was tasked by President Rumen Radev to form a new government.[63]
Petkov's coalition collapsed in June 2022 after his government lost a vote of no confidence. He left office on 2 August and was succeeded by the former minister of laborGalab Donev, in a caretaker government. PresidentRadev subsequently called for asnap election to be held on 2 October.[64]
In the first week following the2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, Petkov announced that Bulgaria would welcome Ukrainian refugees. He stated, "These are not the refugees we are used to; these people are Europeans. These people are intelligent. They are educated people...This is not the refugee wave we have been used to, people we were not sure about their identity, people with unclear pasts, who could have been even terrorists."[65] His statement drew widespread criticism and allegations of racism, with many highlighting the different treatment of past refugee waves.[66][67][68]
In February, Petkov called for the resignation ofStefan Yanev from his position asMinister of Defense, after Yanev declined to use the word "war" in reference to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, instead referring to it as a "special operation", echoing language used by Russian presidentVladimir Putin.[69] Yanev was dismissed at the beginning of March.[70] In May, Petkov recalled Bulgaria's ambassador to Russia, after Russian ambassador to BulgariaEleonora Mitrofanova drew a comparison between the war in Ukraine and Bulgaria'sliberation from the Ottoman Empire.[71]
In early 2022, Petkov secretly agreed to supply arms and fuel to the Ukrainian forces, but kept this secret whilst in government due to opposition among his governing coalition.[72][73] On 4 May, the parliament approved the continuation of repairs for damaged Ukrainian military equipment,[74] and announced that Bulgaria would continue to support Ukraine's membership in the EU, as well as Ukrainian refugees,[71] who numbered more than 56,000 as of 7 June.[75] Petkov noted Bulgaria's espousal of all sanctions against Russia, and would allow the use of thePort of Varna to transship goods that had been stifled by the Russian blockade of Odesa.[76]
On 27 June, the Russian embassy in Sofia launched a charity appeal for Bulgarians to support the Russian invasion of Ukraine.[77] One day later, Petkov announced the expulsion of 70 Russian diplomats over concerns of espionage.[78] TheMinistry of Foreign Affairs announced that Bulgaria would be temporarily closing down its diplomatic mission inYekaterinburg and expected Russia to temporarily halt the activities of its own mission inRuse, Bulgaria.[79]
TheOctober 2022 election saw Petkov's coalition lose its majority and no coalition could be formed.[80] This led to another snap election inApril 2023, which saw similar results and no obvious governing coalition possible.[81] Petkov's party came in second place, despite exit polls forecasting them as the winners.[82] Kiril Petkov then stated on 8 July 2022, that his centrist party would probably have to abandon its intentions to present a new administration due to its inability to get a legislative majority.[83]
Petkov, who heads the parliamentaryEU,Schengen, andEurozone committee, described Bulgaria's position on Schengen entrance, stressing requirements above a set date. Petkov emphasised during a news conference held at the National Assembly that Bulgaria is seeking admission without requiring a fresh vote in the European Council and that the country is concentrating on creating the circumstances necessary for automatic inclusion.[84]
In 2024, his speech to theWorld Economic Forum inDavos, Kiril Petkov stressed that cooperative infrastructure development may help Bulgaria,Romania, andGreece attain the highest GDP growth in Europe. During a conversation hosted by "Greek House Davos" with the topic "Rethink the Ports as Hubs: The Strategic importance for Greece, Balkans and Europe," Petkov emphasised the need of interconnected infrastructure in promoting prosperity and economic independence. He also emphasised Bulgaria's accomplishment of reducing its 95% reliance on Russian gas to 0%, noting a variety of energy sources as a crucial element in attaining political and economic independence and claiming that the Balkans might achieve the highest GDP growth in Europe with the construction of vital infrastructure.[85]
Prior to thesnap 2023 election, Petkov's PP merged with DB to form a joint electoral list. The election resulted in no clear outcome. After several rounds of discussions, GERB andPP–DB agreed upon arotation government, claimed to be a "non-coalition", wherePP–DB'sNikolai Denkov would start with the premiership, withGERB'sMariya Gabriel serving as Deputy Prime Minister, and after nine months, they would switch positions.[86][87] This however, failed to materialize, leading toanother snap election the following year.
Petkov announced he would step down as MP and co-leader of PP–DB in June 2025, citing responsibility for personnel misjudgments at the level of district mayors.[88] He was officially dismissed as an MP on 3 July.[89]
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Lachezar Borisov | Minister of Economy 2021 | Succeeded by Daniela Vezieva |
| Preceded by | Prime Minister of Bulgaria 2021–2022 | Succeeded by |
| Party political offices | ||
| New political party | Co-Leader ofWe Continue the Change 2021–present Served alongside:Assen Vassilev | Incumbent |
