site.btaNew Chief Veterinary Inspector Appointed

Dr. Koicho Koev has been appointed Bulgaria's Chief Veterinary Sanitary Inspector by order of Agriculture and Food Minister Plamen Abrovski, the Bulgarian Food Safety Agency (BFSA) announced on Monday. The announcement says that the appointment "is part of a broader effort to strengthen Bulgaria's veterinary control system and enhance the country's preparedness to prevent and contain animal diseases".

Koev succeeds Iliyan Kostov.

In his new role, Koev will coordinate national activities related to the prevention, surveillance and control of infectious animal diseases. He will also oversee the implementation of Bulgaria's national veterinary programmes and strengthen cooperation with competent national authorities and international partners.

Koev brings extensive professional and academic experience in veterinary medicine. He graduated from the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine at Trakia University and has built a career spanning clinical practice, scientific research and university teaching.

He currently serves as an associate professor at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine at Trakia University in Stara Zagora and as Director of Bulgaria's Centre for Risk Assessment along the Food Chain.

His research focuses on epidemiology, infectious animal diseases, zoonoses and the One Health concept. Koev is the author or co-author of more than 50 scientific publications and serves on the Management Board of the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA).