site.btaPresident Iotova Appoints Three New Secretaries in Her Administration since Taking Office in Late January

Three new secretaries have been appointed to Bulgarian President Iliana Iotova has appointed three new secretaries in her administration since taking office on January 20: Meglena Plugchieva, Kristiela Simeonova, and Milena Dimitrova, according to information on the President's website. 

Plugchieva has been appointed Secretary for Foreign Policy. She has many years of experience in public administration, diplomacy, and European policy. She served as deputy minister of agriculture (2001–2004), where she led negotiations with the EU in the agriculture sector, and was also ambassador to Germany (2004–2008). 

Simeonova has been appointed Secretary for Media Relations. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Bulgarian Studies from the St Kliment Ohridski University of Sofia. She briefly worked as a teacher at the middle and high school levels. In 2016, she obtained a Master’s degree in International Journalism from Sofia University. She completed a training course in public diplomacy organized by the Diplomatic Institute under the Minister of Foreign Affairs. From 2012 to 2017, she worked as a journalist for the Duma daily. Since 2017, she has worked in the office of Bulgarian Vice President Iliana Iotova as a senior expert responsible for media coverage of the Vice President’s activities and media relations.

Dimitrova has been appointed Secretary for Culture, Education, and Relations with Bulgarians Abroad. She graduated with a gold medal from the 35th Mikhail Kalinin Russian Language High School in 1978 and in 1983 graduated with honours from the Faculty of Journalism and Mass Communication at Sofia University. In 1990, she completed a journalism internship at the Centre de formation des journalistes (CFJ Paris) and at print media outlets in France and Switzerland. Since May 18, 2018, she has served as a senior expert at the Bulgarian Citizenship Commission and in the office of the Vice President.

After Iotova became President, Hristo Alexiev, secretary for economic affairs in President Rumen Radev's team, was appointed secretary for economic and social policies. 

On January 23, Iliana Iotova took office after the Constitutional Court ruled that the term of office of head of State Rumen Radev would be terminated early due to his resignation.