Nadezhda Neynsky – Caretaker Minister of Foreign Affairs

Professional career

• 2022 – January 2023 — Member of 2022 Cohort of Advance Leadership Initiative Harvard;
• 2015 – 2021 — Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Republic of Bulgaria to the Republic of Turkey;
• 2014 – now — Member of ASPIDE International Advisory Board;
• 2014 – now — Vice President of European Political Advisory Group;
• 2012 – 2015 — President of SME Europe to the EPP;
• 2009 – 2014 — Member of the European Parliament – Budgets and Foreign Affairs Committees;
• 2008 – 2009 — Deputy Speaker of the Bulgarian Parliament;
• 2007 – 2015 — Chairperson of the Small and Medium Enterprises Union Bulgaria;
• 2006 – now — Member of the Advisory Group for Southern Leaders’ Round Tables (SLRT) to the Special Unit for South-South Cooperation;
• 2006 – now — Member of the International Advisory Committee to the Democracy Coalition Project, in partnership with Bertelsmann Foundation, Freedom House and Ghana Centre for Democratic Development.;
• 2006 – 2014 — Chairperson of the central-right political party “Democratic Alternative”;
• 2004 – now — Chairperson of the Institute for Democracy and Stability in South-East Europe;
• 2002 – 2005 — Chairperson of the party Union of Democratic Forces and Chairperson of the Parliamentary Group;
• 1999-2006 — Vice President of the European People’s Party and Co - Chair of the EPP’s Foreign Relations Committee;
• 1997-2001 — Minister of Foreign Affairs;
• 1995 – 2001 — Deputy Chairperson of Union of Democratic Forces;
• 1994 – 2014 — Member of the Parliament, 37th, 38th, 39th and 40th National Assembly; Member of the National Defense and Security Committee, Foreign Affairs Committee, Member of the Bulgarian delegation to the Council of Europe; Chairperson of the Committee for Parliamentary and Public Relations;
• 1991-1993 — Spokesperson of the first democratic government and chief of the government press office;
• 1988-1990 — Freelance translator of Spanish and English literature;
• 1986-1988 — Freelance journalist;

Education

• 2008 — Harvard University, John Kennedy School of Government – Mastering Negotiation: Building Sustainable Agreements;
• 1993 — BBC-London, Program for Public Relations;
• 1992 — Harvard University, John Kennedy School of Government, Senior Managers in Government;
• 1991 — US Congress, Office of Congressman David Drier (R), Certificate for Accomplished program for Foreign Policy and Public Relations;
• 1980-1985 — Master Degree in Linguistics from Sofia University;
• 1975-1980 — Spanish College, Sofia.

Languages

English, Spanish and Russian

Awards

• Chevalier de la Légion D’Honneur (France);
• B’nai B’rith medal of tolerance;
• Special golden distinction of the US Academy of Achievements;
• Order of the Dannebrog, First Class (Denmark);
• Medal awarded by the Republic of Malta;
• Badge of Honor, Venice;
• Cross of the order of public service awarded by the King of Spain.