Who is Who: Bulgaria's Caretaker Finance Minister Kalin Hristov

Kalin Hristova (L) is pictured here with former finance minister Simeon Djnakov (R). Photo by Sofia Photo Agency

Kalin Hristov, Deputy Governor of the Central Bank, will take over the Finance Ministry in Bulgaria's caretaker government.

Hristov came into office for a six-year term as BNB deputy governor on October 23, 2009. He took over the Emission Department from outgoing deputy governor Tsvetan Manchev.

Bulgaria's parliament elected him with an overwhelming majority, voting 174-2 for his candidature, while 28 abstained.

The nomination was supported by the members of all parliamentary groups except for those from the left-wing parties, who either voted against or abstained.

Unconfirmed reports in the spring of 2009 claimed that he was going to become a MP from the GERB party, and that he had been helping PM Borisov's party with its economic program.

Hristov has rejected both of these claims.

Previously, from October 2003 to October 2009 he was adviser to the BNB Governor, from February 2002 to October 2003 - adviser to the Deputy Governor in charge of the Issue Department, in the period October 1997 to September 2001 - expert in the Economic Research and Forecasting Directorate at the BNB.

From September to December 2001 he participated as a researcher in the Exchange Rate Issues Project of the Bank of England. In the period January 2001 – December 2004 he worked as Chief Assistant Professor in the Finance Department of the University of National and World Economy (UNWE), Sofia, and from February 1997 to December 2000 - as Assistant Professor in the Economics Department of the same University.

Since 2002, Kalin Hristov has been a member of the BNB Investment Committee, and since 2005 – a member of the Monetary Policy Committee of the European Central Bank. He is the chairman of the Governing Council of the Bulgarian Macroeconomics Association and member of the Governing Council of the Institute of Market Economy. He authored a number of publications in this country and abroad on issues such as marcoeconomics, monetary policy, currency board, adoption of the euro, and co-authored articles and publications on economic topics.

Kalin Hristov graduated UNWE in 1996 as a master of macroeconomics. He was born in 1971 in Pleven, and has excellent command of English.

We need your support so Novinite.com can keep delivering news and information about Bulgaria! Thank you!