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Ekaterina Zaharieva

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In this Bulgarian name, the patronymic is Spasova and the family name is Gecheva-Zaharieva.
Ekaterina Zaharieva
Екатерина Захариева
Official portrait, 2024
European Commissioner for Startups, Research and Innovation
Incumbent
Assumed office
1 December 2024
PresidentUrsula von der Leyen
Preceded byIliana Ivanova[a]
Deputy Prime Minister of Bulgaria
In office
4 May 2017 – 12 May 2021
Prime MinisterBoyko Borisov
Preceded byStefan Yanev
Succeeded byAtanas Pekanov
In office
6 August 2014 – 7 November 2014
Prime MinisterGeorgi Bliznashki
Preceded byDaniela Bobeva
Succeeded byMeglena Kuneva
In office
13 March 2013 – 29 May 2013
Prime MinisterMarin Raykov
Preceded byTsvetan Tsvetanov
Succeeded byTsvetlin Yovchev
Minister of Foreign Affairs
In office
4 May 2017 – 12 May 2021
Prime MinisterBoyko Borisov
Preceded byRadi Naidenov
Succeeded bySvetlan Stoev
Minister of Justice
In office
18 December 2015 – 27 January 2017
Prime MinisterBoyko Borisov
Preceded byHristo Ivanov
Succeeded byMariya Pavlova
Minister of Regional Development
and Public Works
In office
6 August 2014 – 7 November 2014
Prime MinisterGeorgi Bliznashki
Preceded byDesislava Terzieva
Succeeded byLilyana Pavlova
In office
13 March 2013 – 29 May 2013
Prime MinisterMarin Raykov
Preceded byLilyana Pavlova
Succeeded byDesislava Terzieva
Parliamentary offices
Member of the National Assembly
In office
15 April 2021 – 19 September 2024
Constituency13th MMC - Pazardzhik
Personal details
Born
Ekaterina Spasova Gecheva

(1975-08-08) 8 August 1975 (age 49)
Pazardzhik, PR Bulgaria
Political partyGERB
Other political
affiliations		European People’s Party
Spouse
Angel Zahariev
​
(m. 2006)​
EducationPlovdiv University
Occupation
  • Politician
  • lawyer

Ekaterina Spasova Gecheva-Zaharieva[b] (Bulgarian: Екатерина Спасова Гечева-Захариева, born 8 August 1975) is a Bulgarian politician serving as European Commissioner for Startups, Research and Innovation. She served as Deputy Prime Minister of Bulgaria from 2017 to 2021 and on two occasions from 2013 to 2014. A member of the GERB party, she also served as Minister of Foreign Affairs from 2017 to 2021, Minister of Justice from 2015 to 2017, Minister of Regional Development on two occasions from 2013 to 2014 and Member of the National Assembly from 2021 to 2024.

Early life and education

[edit]

Zaharieva was born in Pazardzhik in 1975. She became fluent in German at her local college, then attended the University of Plovdiv where she graduated in law. This was followed by a law master's degree.[1]

Career

[edit]
Zaharieva meets with U.S. Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo at the U.S. Department of State in Washington, D.C., on November 5, 2018.

She worked as a lawyer until 2003. She then became a legal Advisor of the Ministry of Environment and Water. Zaharieva became the Director of Legal, Administrative and Regulatory Services in 2007.[1]

Entering politics in 2009, she became the Deputy Minister of Regional Development to the Minister Rosen Plevneliev. When Plevneliev became President of Bulgaria, he chose her for the position of one of the Deputy Prime Ministers from March to May in 2013.[2] She was interim deputy Prime Minister to Marin Raykov in the Bulgarian Cabinet.

Zaharieva with President of Israel Reuven Rivlin in Jerusalem, 12 November 2020

In 2013 she was the Minister of Regional Development.[citation needed] From 18 December 2015 she served as Minister of Justice until 27 January 2017. She became the Foreign Minister of Bulgaria on 4 May 2017.[3]

In August 2024 she was nominated, alongside Julian Popov, by the Bulgarian Government to be the next commissioner in the second von der Leyen Commission. Bulgaria was the only country that have followed Von der Leyen's request to nominate two candidates. Zaharieva was chosen by von der Leyen and proposed as the next Commissioner for Startups, Research and Innovation. On 27 November 2024, the European Parliament elected the College of Commissioners as a whole. The newly appointed Commission is starting its five-year term as from 1 December 2024.

See also

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References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b Ekaterina Zakharieva, President of the Republic, retrieved January 2014
  2. ^ Visit of Ekaterina Zakharieva, Bulgarian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Regional Development and Public Works, to the EC, March 2013, retrieved January 2014
  3. ^ "Minister of Foreign Affairs". The Republic of Bulgaria.
  1. ^ As European Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth
  2. ^ pronounced [ɛkɐtɛˈrinɐ ˈspasovɐ ˈɡɛtʃɛvɐ zɐˈxariɛvɐ]
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Ekaterina Zakharieva.
Political offices
Preceded by Minister of Justice
2015–2017 		Succeeded by
Maria Pavlova
Preceded by Minister of Foreign Affairs
2017–2021 		Succeeded by



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