Cabinet appoints 6 new district governors

The Council of Ministers on July 26 appointed six district governors - of Varna, Kardzhali, Sofia, Targovishte, Haskovo and Yambol districts.

Andriyana Andreeva is the new governor of Varna. She is an Associate Professor and PhD of Law, Head of the Department of Legal Studies at the University of Economics - Varna. Andreeva has been involved in numerous scientific projects, is the author of over 50 scientific articles, studies and monographs, has participated in the preparation of the publication of over 20 textbooks and teaching aids in the field of law.

Nikola Chanev has been appointed governor of Kardzhali. He held the same position between 2017 and 2021. For many years he worked in the local structure of the National Revenue Agency as an inspector and head ofsector. He holds a Master's degree in Accounting and Control from the University of National and World Economy and a degree in National and Regional Security from the University of Plovdiv "Paisii Hilendarski".

Julian Lekov is the new district governor of Sofia district. In 2014 he held the same position. Lekov has experience in several state-owned companies, as well as in private business and as a consultant in project implementation. He holds a master's degree in public administration from the Academy of Economics in Svishtov.

Gergana Tsoneva has been appointed district governor of Targovishte. Until now, she has been Deputy Chairperson of the Municipal Council in Targovishte. She graduated in law at the Sofia University. She has been a legal advisor in the Regional Office for Execution of Punishments - Targovishte, in the municipality, as well as in the District Health Insurance Fund. She has also worked as a lawyer and as an investigator in the regional directorate of the Ministry of Interior.

The new district governor of Haskovo, Ginka Raicheva, was for a long period the principal of the primary school "St. Kliment Ohridski" in Haskovo. She is the first principal in the country to be awarded the prestigious award “St. Ivan Rilski" of the Ministry of Education and Science for her contribution to the development of Bulgarian education. She has a diploma in primary school pedagogy from Plovdiv University "Paisii Hilendarski".

Bilyana Kavaldzhieva-Dimitrova was appointed governor of Yambol. In 2022 she was deputy governor in the same district. She graduated in law from the Free University of Bourgas. She was the chief legal advisor at the Water and Sewerage company in Yambol.

The district governors of Pernik - Lyudmil Veselinov, and of Kyustendil - Eng. Alexander Pandurski, remain in their positions and no new ones will be appointed in their place.

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On July 13, the government appointed the first six district governors - for Sofia-city, Plovdiv, Lovech, Pleven, Dobrich and Silistra.

On July 19, the government appointed four district governors - for the districts of Montana, Vidin, Blagoevgrad and Vratsa.

On July 20, it apointed the governors of Montana, Vratsa and Vidin.

On June 12, Bulgaria’s new cabinet received applications for the resignation of district governors and deputy district governors from all over the country.

The government described the action as unprecedented. "It puts to the test the fulfillment of the legal obligations of the government”, the statement of the government said at the time.

The Nikolai Denkov government took office on June 6, inheriting the district governors appointed by the caretaker government that had been put in place by President Rumen Radev. Many of those leaving their posts said it is because of political differences with the regular government or personal reasons.

“District governors have wide-ranging functions with which they protect the public interest,” the June 12 statement by the government said.

“They have a commitment to coordinate regional development on behalf of the government, exercise control over the work of the territorial structures of the central government, monitor the legality of local government activities, and so on,” the Council of Ministers statement said.

The government added that the applications to resign would be considered in stages.

The cabinet would make a decision in relation to each of them in a timely manner, and “until then all district governors and deputy district governors are obliged to perform their functions,” the June 12 Council of Ministers statement said.