Georgi Petkanov

Date and place of birth: November 1,1947, Smolyan.

Education: Faculty of Law, St. Kliment Ohridski University of Sofia (1971). District Prosecutor in Devin, Smolyan Province. Assistant Professor at the Faculty of Law, St. Kliment Ohridski University of Sofia (1974); Senior Assistant Professor (1978); Chief Assistant Professor (1982); Associate Professor (1989); Professor (1996). Post-graduate specialization at the Faculty of Law, St. Kliment Ohridski University of Sofia, PhD in law (1983). Specialization at Moscow State University and the University of Lodz, Poland.

Dean of the Faculty of Law, of St. Kliment Ohridski University of Sofia (1991-1995), head of department (1993-1995; 2000-2001). Deputy Rector of St. Kliment Ohridski University of Sofia (1995-1997). Chairman of the General Assembly of St. Kliment Ohridski University of Sofia (1999-2002).

Chairman of the Union of Bulgarian Jurists (1994- 1998). Member of the Executive Bureau of the European Association of Lawyers for Democracy and World Human Rights (1996-2000).

Member of the XXXIX and XL National Assembly.

Minister of Interior (2001-2005). Minister of Justice (2005-2007).

Editor-in-chief of the Savremenno pravo (Contemporary Law) Bulgarian journal (1999-2009). Lecturing in financial law and tax law at: St. Kliment Ohridski Uni-versity of Sofia, St. Cyril and St. Methodius University of Veliko Tarnovo, the Academy of the Ministry of Interior. Author of various books, studies, articles.

Elected Constitutional Court justice by the XL National Assembly (2008).