23148 | 23 Jan. 2026 | 13:55

It cannot be denied - Iliana Yotova is one of the faces of contemporary Bulgarian politics, shaping our newest history and proving herself in strong competition

Iliana Yotova takes office as president of Bulgaria - the most skilled and prepared politician for this position.

 History determined her to become the first female president of Bulgaria.

 When she said a month ago, "Yes, Bulgaria is ready for a female president," she probably didn't expect it to happen so quickly.

 Everything in her career is remarkable.

 None of today's players on the public stage have gone through the same path as Iliana Yotova - from the lowest step to the top. And she has achieved this without any mistakes, scandals, and with continuous improvement - in experience, image, contacts, communication, even in feminine tact and charm. Her vibrant red hair is her trademark, always staying true to her conservative and elegant style of dress.

 Iliana Yotova is the perfect modern politician. BSP lucked out with her upbringing and she never betrayed her party.

 Her political career began in 1997, when she headed the red press center during the time of the dark blue government. Perhaps her biggest challenge was the events of the winter of 1997- the overthrow of the Videnov government, the protests, the storming of the National Assembly, and the collapse of left-wing ideas. Yotova had to transform from a journalist-reporter who covered politics to a person who made politics and presented it to the media.

 Few remember now how difficult it was to be a member of the Communist Party during the time of the blue Kostov. To defend one's beliefs when the square was screaming: Those who don't jump are red! To work in a party headquarters that couldn't afford to pay for heating and phone bills and was under threat of being banned by society. And yet, to still manage to get the media to come. Yotova achieved this. She had a secret weapon - she always emphasized to her colleagues that she was one of them, and slowly but steadily built trust.

 At the time, many withdrew from the Bulgarian Socialist Party - not only was it not prestigious to be a socialist, it was humiliating - people pointed fingers, shouted at you on the streets, you lost your job, friends... But Iliana persisted.

 She was given the "honor" to announce at the press conference in April 1997 the devastating 23% loss of the Bulgarian Socialist Party. On one side was Pӑrvanov, on the other - Nikolay Dobrev.

 Years later, she announced the victory of the BSP in 2005, when she stood next to Sergey Stanishev.  

 In 2000, she became a member of the Supreme Council of the BSP.

 In 2005 she was elected as a member of Parliament, and from 2007 until the end of 2016 she was a member of the European Parliament. Later, she became the second lady of "Dondukov" 2.  

   In the summer of 2016, the proposal came from the BSP and personally from the then-chairperson Kornelia Ninova for Iliana Yotova to be nominated as vice president. The decision-making was difficult because it was a risky move - leaving the secure place of an established euro deputy and rising to the heights of European structures and entering the challenge of being involved in a campaign that no one predicted to be successful at the time.

 Iliana made the right choice. The Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) relied on her determination, persistence, and dedication to the left-wing idea, her principled positions, and her accumulated experience in the media and politics.

 Throughout all this time, Iliana Yotova has developed her own style of behavior - a presence in politics, a way of speaking, a determined person with a broad vision of reality and human relationships.

  Iliana knows how to use her accumulated "political baggage" and has strategically cultivated the necessary reflection on political processes. She is able to analyze them in depth, make decisions and take action. She has never made a mistake, either in Bulgaria or abroad.

  Perhaps the toughest years for the Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) have shaped in her a fighting character of a "tough" girl who is not afraid and openly faces battles, strikes, and betrayals.

 Therefore, when in 2016 she stood by Rumen Radev as part of the presidential duo of the BSP, Iliana was already shining with her own aura. No one ever asked who she was.  The complete opposite - Iliana Yotova appeared as the advocate of the unknown Radev in front of the left-wing voter. She played this role brilliantly, no matter what it cost her.

 Yotova helped Radev a lot, while he solidified as a president - I don't know if he acknowledges that. For a long period of time in this duo of statesmen, Yotova was the politician.

 Her position as vice president is satellite and as a seasoned politician, she never strayed from its boundaries.

 But from the very first moment at "Dondukov" 2, the red fury elegantly hinted that she will not play a supporting role. She will follow the rules of political coexistence, but she will not allow herself to be depersonalized. And she succeeded. She fights for the right to comment on legislative power, to make critical remarks towards executive power, to have her own opinion on various issues.

 And that is perhaps why Yotova maintains respect for herself throughout the political spectrum. Not everyone shares her positions, but everyone has respect for her because she can speak to everyone. She does not isolate herself, she does not close herself off. The media are also favorable towards her. It is rare to find a critical comment or article.

 And she does not give reason for it. I have noticed that wherever she goes, whoever she speaks to - Iliyana Yotova is always extremely well-prepared. This is probably left over from her journalism background. She never reads her speeches. "She can speak at length on expert topics, with depth.

 She never attacks or points fingers, radiating a sense of refinement and delicacy as a French-educated individual. And yet she manages to touch upon sensitive issues in society, such as the lack of reforms, the excessive use of hate speech, poverty and inequalities.

 Iliana Yotova has positions that she does not back down from, but always seeks balance and defends Bulgaria's national interest - in matters of war and peace, for Bulgarians abroad, for our place in the European Union, for Schengen and the Eurozone, for the party system and for the Constitution.

 And she has fulfilled her role with substance, without being accompanied by the scandals that are common among public figures.

 As a person, Iliana Yotova has firmly planted her feet on the ground." Unlike many, the attributes of power did not change her, which reveals internal resilience in her character. Throughout this tumultuous time, Iliana managed to keep her family, enjoy her children and grandchildren, keep her friends, and lead a normal life. 

  It cannot be denied - Iliana Yotova is one of the faces of modern Bulgarian politics, who are writing our latest history, proving themselves in strong competition.   

  Now Yotova begins to write her own page in the history of the presidential institution of Bulgaria. The year ahead of her will also open the way to her upcoming new full presidential term.