Sofia, December 22 (BTA) - Five deputy ministers were appointed by an order of Prime Minister Kiril Petkov, the government's press service said on Wednesday.

Iliya Iliev and Vladimir Varbanov were appointed deputy Transport and Communications Ministers.

Iliya Iliev graduated from the University of Architecture, Civil Engineering and Geodesy in Sofia as a geodetic engineer. His professional career is related to the private sector, and he has many years of managerial experience in the field of investment railway and road design.

Vladimir Varbanov studied law and has been a longtime lecturer in international maritime law at the Technical University in Varna. He has been an arbitrator in the Sofia Arbitration Court and the Varna Arbitration Court since 2017.

Alexander Pulev and Hristina Velinova were released from their positions of deputy Transport Ministers.

Irena Dimitrova and Vasil Georgiev were appointed deputy Foreign Ministers.

Irena Dimitrova is a diplomat with over 20 years of experience and has gone through all stages of career development at the Foreign Ministry. She has served two terms abroad - in the United Kingdom and the Permanent Delegation to NATO in Brussels. She graduated from the Philosophy Faculty at Sofia University and earned master's degrees in international relations from the Diplomatic Academy of the Kingdom of Spain and from the Complutense University of Madrid.

Vasil Georgiev attained master's degrees in Turkic Studies and Law from Sofia University, specializing in international law and international relations. He served at the Bulgarian Embassy in the Republic of Turkey, was a Member of Parliament in the 45th and 46th National Assembly, member of the Committee on the Internal Security and Public Order, and Head of the Delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Union for the Mediterranean. He has many years of managerial experience in the private sector.

Atanas Dobrev has been reappointed from the position of deputy Agriculture, Food and Forestry Minister to the position of deputy Agriculture Minister. Reneta Koleva has been released from the position of deputy Environment and Water Minister.

By decision of the Council of Ministers, Venelin Dimitrov was released from the position of deputy Chairperson of the State Agency for National Security. The government decision was taken by default. RY/YV