15 Facts About Rosen Plevneliev

Rosen Asenov Plevneliev is a Bulgarian politician who served as the 4th President of Bulgaria from 2012 to 2017.

Rosen Plevneliev's mother, Slavka Plevnelieva, was a teacher, and his father, Asen Plevneliev, was an activist of the Communist Party.

Rosen Plevneliev relocated to Blagoevgrad alongside his parents when he turned 10 years old.

Rosen Plevneliev's family descended from Bulgarian refugees from southern Macedonia who resettled from today's village of Petrousa in the municipality of Prosotsani in Drama regional unit, Greek Macedonia, in 1913.

Rosen Plevneliev studied at Blagoevgrad Mathematical and Natural Sciences High School, from which he graduated in 1982.

Rosen Plevneliev was married to the journalist Yuliyana Plevnelieva from 2000 until their divorce in 2017; they had three sons: Filip, Asen and Pavel.

Rosen Plevneliev became Minister of Regional Development and Public Works under Deputy Prime Minister Simeon Djankov on 27 July 2009.

Minister Rosen Plevneliev was one of a handful of "reformers" in the government, together with Deputy Prime Minister Simeon Djankov, the Minister of Economy Traicho Traikov and the Minister of Environment Nona Karadzhova.

Rosen Plevneliev was announced as GERB's candidate for President of Bulgaria on 4 September 2011.

Rosen Plevneliev defeated Ivaylo Kalfin from the Bulgarian Socialist Party in the second round.

Rosen Plevneliev took the presidential oath on 19 January 2012 and officially took over from his predecessor Georgi Parvanov on 22 January 2012.

President Rosen Plevneliev, acting in accordance with the constitution, offered a mandate to form a new government within the term of the current Parliament to GERB, BSP and DPS but after each of them declined, Rosen Plevneliev appointed a caretaker government on 13 March 2013, with Marin Raykov, the Bulgarian ambassador in Paris as Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs.

In 2013, due to the prolonged protests against the involvement of oligarchy in politics and the government, Rosen Plevneliev organised the 'Dialogue with citizens' initiative, which involved three debates, focused on market economy, the judicial system and media freedom.

Rosen Plevneliev has frequently criticized the immigration policy in the UK set by the former Prime Minister, David Cameron.

In October 2022, Rosen Plevneliev was invited by GERB to become head of a contact group for cabinet talks, formed by the party.