Petar Stoyanov
Encyclopedia
Petar Stefanov Stoyanov (born May 25, 1952) is a former President of Bulgaria
from 1997 until 2002. He was elected as a candidate of the Union of Democratic Forces
(UDF). He did not succeed in the next presidential elections and alter leaving office refrained from politics for a while but later became an MP in 2005 and was Chairmen of UDF from October 1, 2005 to May 22, 2007.
, Bulgaria. After graduating from secondary school, Stoyanov entered the Saint Kliment Ohridski University of Sofia
law faculty where he graduated with honors in 1976. He practiced civil law in Plovdiv through the next fifteen years. Stoyanov speaks also English
and German
in addition to his mother tongue Bulgarian
.
Quickily after the political changes in Bulgaria at the end of 1989 from communism to democratic rule Stoyanov embarked on a political career (1990), co-founding and chairing a Democracy Club in Plovdiv. Later in the same year, he became spokesman of the Plovdiv Coordinating Council of the Union of Democratic Forces
(UDF), a new Bulgarian coalitional opposition to the former ruling political parties (BKP and BZNS).
When in 1991 UDF formed first non-communist government after the political changes in Bulgaria, President Stoyanov served as Deputy Minister of Justice. In 1993 UDF government fell out of power due to parliamentary voting of approval that did not reach enough votes. Thenafter, in May 1993, Stoyanov became a President of the UDF Legal Council.
In 1994 he was elected Member of Parliament and he was Deputy Chairman of the UDF Parliamentary Group, also Deputy Chairman of the Parliamentary Commission on Youth, Sports, and Tourism. In 1995 he was Deputy Chairman of UDF responsible for domestic policy.
. In the presidential elections he received more votes than the socialist candidate Ivan Marazov and George Ganchev - founder and leader of Bulgarian Business Block (party that will soon after dismiss), in the first round. He then defeated Marazov in a runoff by winning 59,73 % of the votes cast. He was elected President of Bulgaria with the support of diverse opposition parties in 3 November 1996.
In 19 January 1997 he was sworn in President of the Republic and in 22 January 1997 stepped into office. In January 1997 protests ensued in response to the worsening economics in Bulgaria resulting by the immature government of Jean Videnov which was also not internationally supported and accepted (esp. in the Western countries). President Stoyanov utilized his constitutional authority and appointed functionary government with PM Stefan Sofianski. Early elections were also called in which UDF-led coalition won an absolute majority in Parliament.
in an open debate broadcasted in the National television
Stoyanov seriously fell out of public support and subsequently lost the presidential elections. In the first round of the 2001 presidential election he finished in second place, as the socialist candidate Georgi Parvanov
received 36.3%, Stoyanov received 34.9% and Bogomil Bonev
received 19.2%. Stoyanov lost the runoff from Purvanov 46.7% to 53.3%. After leaving office he refrained from media attention for some time.
of the OSCE
Chairman-in-Office.
In 2005 Stoyanov returned to active politics. He was elected member of the 40th National Assembly, he was member of European Integration Committee and member of State Administration Affairs Committee. Because of UDF's inadequate result at these elections (8.4 % of the popular vote, and 20 out of 240 seats) he blamed rigorously the party leader Nadezhda Mihailova
criticizing her policy. On October 1, 2005 the UDF National Conference elected him as a Chairman.
In May 20, 2007 at the first Bulgarian elections for EU Parliament Stoyanov - who led UDF list - failed to get elected since UDF fell 1% short of the 5.66% electoral threshold. This resulted in his resignation from the chairmanship of the Union of Democratic Forces in 22 May 2007.
. The World Justice Project
works to lead a global, multidisciplinary effort to strengthen the Rule of Law
for the development of communities of opportunity and equity. In 2002, as a fellow of The German Marshall Fund, Petar Stoyanov delivered lectures in the USA at John F. Kennedy School of Government
at Harvard University
, New York University
, American Bar Association
(Washington, DC) and other universities.
since 2000, and has been regular Internet user.
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...
from 1997 until 2002. He was elected as a candidate of the Union of Democratic Forces
Union of Democratic Forces (Bulgaria)
The Union of Democratic Forces is a political party in Bulgaria, founded in 1989 as a union of several political organizations in opposition to the communist government. In February 1997 the Union was transformed into a single unified party with the same name...
(UDF). He did not succeed in the next presidential elections and alter leaving office refrained from politics for a while but later became an MP in 2005 and was Chairmen of UDF from October 1, 2005 to May 22, 2007.
Biography
His Excellency Petar Stoyanov was born on May 25, 1952, in PlovdivPlovdiv
Plovdiv is the second-largest city in Bulgaria after Sofia with a population of 338,153 inhabitants according to Census 2011. Plovdiv's history spans some 6,000 years, with traces of a Neolithic settlement dating to roughly 4000 BC; it is one of the oldest cities in Europe...
, Bulgaria. After graduating from secondary school, Stoyanov entered the Saint Kliment Ohridski University of Sofia
Sofia University
The St. Clement of Ohrid University of Sofia or Sofia University is the oldest higher education institution in Bulgaria, founded on 1 October 1888...
law faculty where he graduated with honors in 1976. He practiced civil law in Plovdiv through the next fifteen years. Stoyanov speaks also 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...
and German
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
in addition to his mother tongue Bulgarian
Bulgarian language
Bulgarian is an Indo-European language, a member of the Slavic linguistic group.Bulgarian, along with the closely related Macedonian language, demonstrates several linguistic characteristics that set it apart from all other Slavic languages such as the elimination of case declension, the...
.
Quickily after the political changes in Bulgaria at the end of 1989 from communism to democratic rule Stoyanov embarked on a political career (1990), co-founding and chairing a Democracy Club in Plovdiv. Later in the same year, he became spokesman of the Plovdiv Coordinating Council of the Union of Democratic Forces
Union of Democratic Forces
Union of Democratic Forces or Union of the Democratic Forces is the name of:*Union of Democratic Forces *Union of Democratic Forces *Union of Democratic Forces *Union of Democratic Forces...
(UDF), a new Bulgarian coalitional opposition to the former ruling political parties (BKP and BZNS).
When in 1991 UDF formed first non-communist government after the political changes in Bulgaria, President Stoyanov served as Deputy Minister of Justice. In 1993 UDF government fell out of power due to parliamentary voting of approval that did not reach enough votes. Thenafter, in May 1993, Stoyanov became a President of the UDF Legal Council.
In 1994 he was elected Member of Parliament and he was Deputy Chairman of the UDF Parliamentary Group, also Deputy Chairman of the Parliamentary Commission on Youth, Sports, and Tourism. In 1995 he was Deputy Chairman of UDF responsible for domestic policy.
President
In 1 June 1996 Petar Stoyanov won the primaries with 66 % of the 870 000 votes cast and was nominated Presidential Candidate of the UDFUDF
- Aviation :* UHF Direction Finder, a kind of radio direction finding * Unducted fan, a type of jet engine* User Development Fee - Airport Tax- Computer Science :* Uniqueness Database Files, a Windows XP Professional configuration text file...
. In the presidential elections he received more votes than the socialist candidate Ivan Marazov and George Ganchev - founder and leader of Bulgarian Business Block (party that will soon after dismiss), in the first round. He then defeated Marazov in a runoff by winning 59,73 % of the votes cast. He was elected President of Bulgaria with the support of diverse opposition parties in 3 November 1996.
In 19 January 1997 he was sworn in President of the Republic and in 22 January 1997 stepped into office. In January 1997 protests ensued in response to the worsening economics in Bulgaria resulting by the immature government of Jean Videnov which was also not internationally supported and accepted (esp. in the Western countries). President Stoyanov utilized his constitutional authority and appointed functionary government with PM Stefan Sofianski. Early elections were also called in which UDF-led coalition won an absolute majority in Parliament.
Elections for president in 2001
In 2001 after showing a compromate for Bogomil BonevBogomil Bonev
Bogomil Angelov Bonev is a Bulgarian politician, Minister of Interior of Bulgaria between 1997-1999.- Early years and police career:...
in an open debate broadcasted in the National television
Bulgarian National Television
The Bulgarian National Television or BNT is the public broadcaster of Bulgaria. The company was founded in 1959 and began broadcasting on December 26 of the same year. It began broadcasting in color in 1970...
Stoyanov seriously fell out of public support and subsequently lost the presidential elections. In the first round of the 2001 presidential election he finished in second place, as the socialist candidate 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...
received 36.3%, Stoyanov received 34.9% and Bogomil Bonev
Bogomil Bonev
Bogomil Angelov Bonev is a Bulgarian politician, Minister of Interior of Bulgaria between 1997-1999.- Early years and police career:...
received 19.2%. Stoyanov lost the runoff from Purvanov 46.7% to 53.3%. After leaving office he refrained from media attention for some time.
Later political career
September 2004 Appointed Special Envoy for MoldovaMoldova
Moldova , officially the Republic of Moldova is a landlocked state in Eastern Europe, located between Romania to the West and Ukraine to the North, East and South. It declared itself an independent state with the same boundaries as the preceding Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic in 1991, as part...
of the OSCE
Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe
The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe is the world's largest security-oriented intergovernmental organization. Its mandate includes issues such as arms control, human rights, freedom of the press and fair elections...
Chairman-in-Office.
In 2005 Stoyanov returned to active politics. He was elected member of the 40th National Assembly, he was member of European Integration Committee and member of State Administration Affairs Committee. Because of UDF's inadequate result at these elections (8.4 % of the popular vote, and 20 out of 240 seats) he blamed rigorously the party leader Nadezhda Mihailova
Nadezhda Mihailova
Nadezhda Nejnski, better known as Nadezhda Nikolova Michailova is Bulgarian politician, Minister of Foreign affairs , head of Union of Democratic Forces , Member of Parliament , European MP since 2009.-External links:*...
criticizing her policy. On October 1, 2005 the UDF National Conference elected him as a Chairman.
In May 20, 2007 at the first Bulgarian elections for EU Parliament Stoyanov - who led UDF list - failed to get elected since UDF fell 1% short of the 5.66% electoral threshold. This resulted in his resignation from the chairmanship of the Union of Democratic Forces in 22 May 2007.
Other
Petar Stoyanov serves as an Honorary Co-Chair for the World Justice ProjectWorld Justice Project
-Mainstreaming:The World Justice Project holds action-oriented meetings with leaders from a range of fields to mainstream rule of law advancement and make strengthening the rule of law as fundamental to the thinking and work of all professionals as it is to lawyers...
. The World Justice Project
World Justice Project
-Mainstreaming:The World Justice Project holds action-oriented meetings with leaders from a range of fields to mainstream rule of law advancement and make strengthening the rule of law as fundamental to the thinking and work of all professionals as it is to lawyers...
works to lead a global, multidisciplinary effort to strengthen the Rule of Law
Rule of law
The rule of law, sometimes called supremacy of law, is a legal maxim that says that governmental decisions should be made by applying known principles or laws with minimal discretion in their application...
for the development of communities of opportunity and equity. In 2002, as a fellow of The German Marshall Fund, Petar Stoyanov delivered lectures in the USA at John F. Kennedy School of Government
John F. Kennedy School of Government
The John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University is a public policy and public administration school, and one of Harvard's graduate and professional schools...
at Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
, New York University
New York University
New York University is a private, nonsectarian research university based in New York City. NYU's main campus is situated in the Greenwich Village section of Manhattan...
, American Bar Association
American Bar Association
The American Bar Association , founded August 21, 1878, is a voluntary bar association of lawyers and law students, which is not specific to any jurisdiction in the United States. The ABA's most important stated activities are the setting of academic standards for law schools, and the formulation...
(Washington, DC) and other universities.
Membership
Petar Stoyanov is member of the Bulgarian Internet SocietyInternet Society
The Internet Society or ISOC is an international, nonprofit organization founded during 1992 to provide direction in Internet related standards, education, and policy...
since 2000, and has been regular Internet user.
Family
He was married to Antonina Stoyanova and has a daughter Fany (born 1990) and a son Stefan (born 1979).Honours and awards
- 1998: Grand Cross with Sash of the Order of the Star of RomaniaOrder of the Star of RomaniaThe Order of the Star of Romania is Romania's highest civil order. It is awarded by the President of Romania...
- 1999: Great Star of Honour for Services to the Republic of AustriaDecoration for Services to the Republic of AustriaThe Decoration of Honour for Services to the Republic of Austria is a state decoration of the Republic of Austria...
- 2000: Order of the ElephantOrder of the ElephantThe Order of the Elephant is the highest order of Denmark. It has origins in the 15th century, but has officially existed since 1693, and since the establishment of constitutional monarchy in 1849, is now almost exclusively bestowed on royalty and heads of state.- History :A Danish religious...