On Tuesday Evgenyi Zhelev was nominated as Bulgaria's new Health Minister in the government of PM Sergey Stanishev, replacing Radoslav Gaydarski.

Zhelev was born on July 22, 1957, in the city of Stara Zagora in southeastern Bulgaria. He graduated from the Medical Institute in the city of Plovdiv, and worked as an orthopedist and traumatologist in the Stara Zagora District Hospital.

Between 1997 and 1999 Zhelev was the Director of the District Hospital in Stara Zagora. In 1999 he was elected Mayor of the city with over 50% of votes, running as an independent candidate supported by the Bulgarian Socialist Party. In 2003 he was re-elected with over 60% of the votes but in the 2007 local elections he lost with 49,8% voting for him.

Zhelev has been awarded the French Medal of Service, the second most important medal in France, and the Russian Medal "Petar I" for contributing to the development of the Bulgarian-Russian relations.

Zhelev is a member of the EU Committee of Regions. He is also a member of the Supreme Council of the Bulgarian Socialist Party. On March 20, 2008, the cabinet appointed him the Chair of the State Agency for the Bulgarians Abroad. On March 22, 2008, the Bulgarian President Georgi Parvanov issued a decree appointing Zhelev his Regional Policy Counsellor.

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