
Nikolai Denkov
Prime Minister of Bulgaria
Education
- Graduated - National Gymnasium for Science and Mathematics
- Master's degree in chemistry and pharmacy - St. Kliment-Ohridski University in Sofia
Overview
Nikolai Denkov Denkov is a Bulgarian politician serving as the Prime Minister of Bulgaria since 6 June 2023. He was previously the Minister of Education of the Republic of Bulgaria. Denkov is a physicist, physical chemist and chemist. He is a member of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences and was a lecturer at the University of Sofia.
Prime Minister of Bulgaria (2023-present) :
Following the outcome of the Bulgarian parliamentary elections held in April 2023, on 22 May Denkov was projected to become Prime Minister of Bulgaria as part of a power-sharing agreement between the two most-voted coalitions, GERB—SDS and PP–DB.The deal implied that Denkov would lead the new government for the following nine months, before switching positions with Mariya Gabriel.
Following extensive talks between the two coalitions involved, as well as the Movement for Rights and Freedoms, an official agreement on the composition of the Denkov-Gabriel cabinet was reached on 2 June. On June 6, the Bulgarian National Assembly voted in Denkov's new government, with 132 votes in favor and 69 against. The new government will focus on fighting Russian influence in Bulgaria's security sector and obtaining membership in the Schengen Area and the eurozone. A political crisis prompted Bulgaria to postpone adopting the euro until 2025. In December 2022, Austrian and Dutch opposition blocked Bulgaria and Romania from becoming members of the Schengen Area.
Early Life
Nikolai Denkov was born on 3 September 1962, in the Thracian city of Stara Zagora. After elementary school, he moved to the Bulgarian capital Sofia, where he graduated from the National Gymnasium for Science and Mathematics in 1980. This was followed by a master's degree in chemistry and pharmacy at the St. Kliment-Ohridski University in Sofia, which he completed in 1987. In 1993 he defended his dissertation and obtained his doctorate.
For the early part of his career Denkov worked as visiting researcher in JRDC (Japan), senior researcher in Rhone-Poulenc R&D (France), lead scientist in Unilever R&D (USA), and guest professor in France (ESPCI-Paris and Univ. Lille).
Career
- Bulgaria - Prime Minister