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.
