RUMEN RADEV - BULGARIA'S PRESIDENT-ELECT - BIOGRAPHY

Rumen Radev is a Bulgarian Major General of the Reserve. Radev served as Commander of the Bulgarian Air Force.

He won Bulgaria’s 2016 Presidential elections. Radev stood for President at the invitation of the leader of the Bulgarian Socialist Party, Kornelia Ninova and was nominated by an initiative committee.

Rumen Radev was born on 18th of June 1963 in Dimitrovgrad, Bulgaria. In 1982, he graduated from the Mathematics School in Haskovo with a gold medal. He graduated from the Bulgarian Air Force University "Georgi Benkovski" in 1987 as the top graduate. In 2003, he graduated with honors from Air War College in Maxwell AFB in the United States as a Master of Strategic Studies .

He is a Doctor of Military Sciences in the field of improvement of tactical training of flight crew and simulation of air combat.

His military career started as a junior pilot in a Fighter Aviation Regiment in Ravnets. From 2005 to 2009, he was commander of the Third Fighter Airbase – Graf Ignatievo. Then for five years he worked as Bulgarian Air Force deputy commander and from 2014 to 2016 he was commander of The Bulgarian Air Force.

Rumen Radev was awarded the sign "For loyal service under the flags" – III degree, and Honorary sign of the Ministry of Defence "Saint George" – II degree.

Radev is a pilot first class and has flown over 1,400 hours.

In 2014, together with colleagues, he organized aviation show "This we are!" and personally performed the "Bell" and "Cobra" manoeuvres on a MiG-29.

He resigned from the army because of a conflict with the current Minister of Defense over the guarding of the country’s air space.

General Rumen Radev enters the presidential institution in a tense political situation. He now faces the challenge of showing his aerobatic skills at the highest office in the state.