Bulgarians Lose Confidence in Election Integrity, Favor Machine Voting
Public confidence in elections has reached a historic low in Bulgaria
Politics | March 20, 2025, Thursday // 23:00
Who Is Who: Bulgaria's New President Rosen Plevneliev
- Tweet
Send to Kindle
Photo by BGNES
Rosen Plevneliev, former Bulgarian Regional Development Minister, was elected President on the ticket of the ruling, center-right Citizens for European Development of Bulgaria part (GERB) on October 30 2011.
Biography
Rosen Plevneliev was born in the southern Bulgarian town of Gotse Delchev in 1964.
He graduated from the Sofia Technical University with an engineering degree in 1989.
In 1990, he founded Iris International, the first Bulgarian construction firm to get an ISO 9001 certificate.
Between 1991 and 1998, Plevneliev worked in Germany as the co-owner of a construction firm that worked as a subcontractor for Lindner, at the Lindner headquarters in Germany.
In 1998, he became the founder and manager of the Bulgarian construction companies that are part of the Lindner Bulgaria group. Upon returning to Bulgaria, he became the CEO of Lindner Immobilien Management Bulgaria Jsc.
Plevneliev was also the manager of Business Park Sofia, which was constructed under his supervision in Sofia's Mladost 4 quarter, and a member of the Board of Directors of the Confederation of Employers and Industrialists in Bulgaria (CEIBG).
In June 2009, Pleneliev was presented as part of the economic policy team of the GERB party.
In July 2009, he was appointed Bulgaria's Minister of Regional Development and Public Works in the government of Prime Minister Boyko Borisov.
In 2010-2011, Plevneliev emerged as the most popular minister in the Borisov Cabinet eventually surpassing Borisov himself in public rating. This has been seen primarily as the result of his activeness with respect to Bulgaria's long-delayed highway and road infrastructure projects.
On September 4, Rosen Plevneliev was nominated as the candidate for President of the Republic of Bulgaria of the ruling center-right party GERB to run in the October 23 2011 presidential elections.
In the runoff that took place on October 30, Plevneliev and his running mate, former Justice Minister Margarita Popova, defeated oppositional Bulgarian Socialist Party runner Ivaylo Kalfin and his running mate, Stefan Danailov, gathering 52.58% of the votes.
Public Service Record
2009-2011 – Minister of Regional Development and Public Works
Electoral Record
Rosen Plevneliev had never run for an elected office before.
Related Articles:
New 'Greatness' Party Joins Bulgaria's Fragile Government as Budget Talks Intensify
Boyko Borissov, leader of GERB, stated that the Bulgarian government has been fragile from the outset and has grown even more fragile in recent times
Politics | March 19, 2025, Wednesday // 10:39
Bulgaria's President: Machine Voting is Key to Restoring Trust in Elections
Bulgarian President Rumen Radev emphasized the need for a radical change in the electoral process, arguing that full implementation of machine voting could help restore public trust in elections
Politics | March 13, 2025, Thursday // 15:05
Bulgaria's Borissov Reacts Angrily to Protests Outside His Home
Boyko Borissov, leader of Bulgaria's GERB party, expressed his anger over the "Greatness" protest rally that took place outside his home in Bankya
Politics | March 12, 2025, Wednesday // 10:34
Carney Replaces Trudeau, Pledges to Strengthen Canada’s Economy
Mark Carney has been elected as the new leader of Canada’s governing Liberal Party, replacing Justin Trudeau in a crucial moment for the country, as economic uncertainty and tensions
World | March 10, 2025, Monday // 08:30
Confidence in Bulgarian Government and Leaders Shifts Amid Political Survey Results
According to a recent survey by Market Links, GERB is currently leading in Bulgarian public opinion, with the party securing 22.6% of the vote if elections were held today
Politics | March 6, 2025, Thursday // 11:38
Bulgarian Foreign Ministry Fined for Expats Data Leak
The Commission for Protection of Personal Data has fined Bulgaria's Foreign Affairs Ministry for making public nearly 37 000 permanent addresses in the country of Bulgarian voters residing abroad.
Bulgaria's '2 in 1' Elections Spared BGN 8 M - FinMin
Bulgaria spared over BGN 8 M in state budget money by carrying out its local and presidential elections on the same date in 2011, the country's Finance Minister Simeon Djankov has stated.
Who Is Who: Bulgaria's New Vice President Margarita Popova
Former Justice Minister Margarita Popova was nominated by the ruling centrist-right party GERB to run for Vice President of Bulgaria in the elections that took place on October 23 2011.
Bulgaria's President-Elect to Be Sworn In Thursday
Rosen Plevneliev, Bulgaria's newly elected President, will be officially sworn in on Thursday.
Bulgarian President-elect to Take Oath of Office Jan 19
Bulgaria's President-elect and Vice President-elect, Rosen Plevneliev and Margarita Popova, will take the oath of office before the National Assembly on Thursday, January 19.
Bulgaria Spent 50% above Estimate for 2011 Elections
The Bulgarian state has spent BGN 39 M for the organization of its October 2011 presidential and municipal elections, according to official accounts released by the Bulgarian Ministry of Finance.
