On July 15, 2013, the Atlantic Council’s Dinu Patriciu Eurasia Center held an off-the-record discussion with Mr. Ivailo Kalfin, member of the European Parliament and former deputy prime minister and minister of foreign affairs of Bulgaria. The Atlantic Council has a long-standing and close relationship with Bulgaria and has been a leading voice in the United States and Europe in advancing the country’s Euro-Atlantic aspirations. The discussion provided an opportunity to get to know Mr. Kalfin, hear about his work as a member of the European Parliament, and review Bulgaria’s domestic scene. Other topics covered included the Euro crisis, the European budget and Bulgaria’s energy diversification.

Mr. Kalfin represents the Group of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats in the European Parliament. He works on three committees and two delegations: the Committee on Budgets, the Committee on Budgetary Control, and the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy. He is a member of the Delegation for relations with the countries of South Asia and the Delegation for relations with Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro and Kosovo. Ivailo Kalfin was deputy prime minister and minister of foreign affairs of the Republic of Bulgaria (2005 – 2009).