"Bulgaria’s Defense Policy"

(Lecture, 11:00am, March 29th 2010, The Sheraton Sofia Hotel Balkan)

Public lecture by H.E. Anyu Angelov, Minister of Defense of the Republic of Bulgaria. Organized in cooperation with the NATO Information Center in Sofia and with the kind support of the Open Society Institute in Sofia.

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Anyu Angelov was born on December 22nd 1942 in Haskovo. In 1966 he graduated from the Higher National Military Artillery School with an engineering degree in Radio Electronics and was promoted to his first military rank of Lieutenant.

In 1974 he graduated from the “G.S.Rakovski” National Military Academy. Between 1982 and 1984 he completed a postgraduate specialization course at the General Staff Academy of the Armed Forces of Russia in Moscow. He has a Master’s Degree in Operational, Tactical and Strategic Leadership of the Armed Forces.

In 1994 he took a special OSCE officers course at NATO Defense College in Rome, Italy.

After his graduation from the Higher National Military Artillery School, he held various commander and staff positions:

1966 - 1971: Commander of an autonomous platoon;
1974 - 1980: Deputy-chief of department at the Land Forces Air Defense Command;
1980 - 1982: Brigade Chief of Staff;
1984 - 1987: Brigade Commander;
1987 - 1990: Land Forces Air Defense Chief of Staff;
1990 - 1992: Land Forces Air Defense Commander in Chief;
1992 - 1994: Deputy Commander in Chief of the Bulgarian Land Forces.

In 1994 he was promoted to Lieutenant-General and was appointed Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Bulgarian Armed Forces. From November 1997 to August 2000 Anyu Angelov was Defense Attaché of the Republic of Bulgaria to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

From September 2000 to February 2002, he was Commandant of the “G.S.Rakovski” National Military Academy.

In 2002 he retired from the Bulgarian Armed Forces and was appointed Director for Defense Planning at the Ministry of Defense.

Until July 2009 he was President of the Center for National Security Research Foundation.

On August 1st 2009 he assumed office as Deputy Minister of Defense.

On January 27th 2010 Anyu Angelov was elected Minister of Defense of the Republic of Bulgaria.

Mr. Angelov is an Honourable Member of NATO Defense College Anciens’ Association.

Mr. Angelov has been awarded an order of merit, medals, a Commendation Medal “For Meritorious Service under the Colours” – First Grade and other awards.