The Bulgarian Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates Relieved of His Post

Ivan Yordanov has been relieved of his duties as Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador of the Republic of Bulgaria to the United Arab Emirates by a decree dated October 13, 2026, issued by President Iliana Iotova, published in the "State Gazette" today, October 20. The Minister of Foreign Affairs has been tasked with implementing the decree.

On 30 September, President Iliana Iotova said she would sign a decree relieving Ambassador Ivan Yordanov of his post.

On 18 September, Prime Minister Rumen Radev said he expected Foreign Minister Velislava Petrova to prepare the recall of Bulgaria’s ambassador to the United Arab Emirates as quickly as possible.

Radev’s comments came after Interior Minister Ivan Demerdzhiev said that a company which had paid for flights taken by Delyan Peevski, chairman of the Movement for Rights and Freedoms, was owned by the ambassador’s father. A few days later, the Foreign Minister said an investigation into the matter had been ordered.

On 24 September, Foreign Minister Velislava Petrova signed a draft Council of Ministers decision proposing that the President issue a decree recalling the ambassador. The previous day, Petrova and Ivan Yordanov had met at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.