site.btaNadezhda Neynsky: Minister of Foreign Affairs

Nadezhda Neynsky has been nominated for caretaker Minister of Foreign Affairs in the proposed Andrey Gurov cabinet. 

She was born on August 9, 1962, in Sofia, according to information published on the website of the National Assembly. 

Neynsky graduated from the Lycée Français Alphonse de Lamartine de Sofia French Language School in Sofia and later earned a degree in Bulgarian Philology from Sofia University St. Kliment Ohridski.  

She began her political career as a member of the Radical Democratic Party. In 1991, she was appointed head of the press centre of the Union of Democratic Forces (UDF) coalition. From December 1, 1991 to December 30, 1992, she served as government spokesperson in the cabinet of Filip Dimitrov and head of the Council of Ministers’ press office. In 1995, she was elected deputy chair of the Union of Democratic Forces, and on March 10, 2002, she became chair of the unified UDF party.  

From May 21, 1997 to July 5, 2001, Neynsky served as Minister of Foreign Affairs in the government of Ivan Kostov. 

From February 1999 to March 31, 2006, she was a deputy chair of the European People's Party within the European Parliament, becoming the first Eastern European politician to hold the post. 

Neynsky was a member of the 37th and 38th National Assemblies (1995 – May 21, 1997), and of the 39th and 40th National Assemblies (July 5, 2001 – July 23, 2008). From July 23, 2008 to June 25, 2009, she served as deputy chair of the National Assembly.  

In the 2003 local elections, Neynsky was the UDF candidate for mayor of Sofia.