MILENA DIMITROVA

Milena Dimitrova was born in Sofia. She graduated with a gold medal from the 35th Russian-language high school "Mikhail Kalinin" in 1978 and in 1983, she graduated with honours from the Faculty of Journalism and Mass Communication at Sofia University "St. Kliment Ohridski". From 1983 to 2007, she worked in central print media as a parliamentary reporter, editor, head of the "Politics" department, and political observer. She hosted the author's show "Under Control" on "Radio New Europe" and on the Bulgarian National Radio, and wrote scripts and shot documentaries for the anti-corruption television show "Na chisto".

In 1990, she completed a journalistic internship at the Centre for the Advancement of Journalists in Paris and in print publications in France and Switzerland. In 2007, she was the winner of the international award "For Better Understanding in Southeast Europe" of the Southeast European Media Organization SEEMO and Dr. Erhard Busek. In 2009-2013, she was a member of the Board of the Vienna-based SEEMO.

From 1994 to 2007, she was a part-time lecturer at Sofia University "St. Kliment Ohridski". She defended her doctorate in parliamentary journalism and in 2002-2003 specialised at the University of Columbia, MO, USA, where she carried out the international project "Media Against Corruption around the World in the 21st Century". In 2004, she taught at the American University in Bulgaria in Blagoevgrad, and was a guest lecturer at the University of Styria, Austria, for 3 years.

From 2007 to 2010, she worked in the European Parliament as a political advisor for the ALDE liberal group in the Committee on Women's Rights and Gender Equality. From 2011 to 2015, she was an advisor and Minister Plenipotentiary for Culture, Audio-visual and Copyright at the Permanent Representation of the Republic of Bulgaria to the EU in Brussels.

In 2017, she was appointed Director of the Integration Directorate at the Agency for People with Disabilities.

She is the author of fifteen books, including "The Golden Decades of Bulgarian Electronics" (2008), reprinted in 2019 and 2020, "Parliament and Journalism" (2002), "A Year in America" (2003), "The Second Bulgaria" (2020), "The Curse of White Cheese" (2021), "Ten Great Friends of Bulgaria" (2024), etc.

Since May 18, 2018, she has been working as a chief expert in the Commission on Bulgarian Citizenship and in the Office of the Vice President with the Administration of the President of the Republic of Bulgaria.

By Decree No. 23 of January 26, 2026, by President Iliana Iotova, she was appointed Secretary for Culture, Education and Relations with Bulgarians Abroad.

Married with two children.

Speaks French, Russian and English.