Ekaterina Zaharieva

In this Bulgarian name, the patronymic is Spasova and the family name is Gecheva-Zaharieva.

Ekaterina Spasova Gecheva-Zaharieva (Bulgarian: Екатерина Спасова Гечева-Захариева; born 8 August 1975) is a Bulgarian politician who served as Deputy Prime Minister from 2017 to 2021 and on two occasions from 2013 to 2014. A member of the GERB party, she also served as Minister of Foreign Affairs from 2017 to 2021, Minister Justice from 2015 to 2017, Minister of Regional Development on two occasions from 2013 to 2014 and is currently a Member of the National Assembly.

Ekaterina Zaharieva
Екатерина Захариева
Zaharieva in 2024
Deputy Prime Minister of Bulgaria
In office 4 May 2017 – 12 May 2021
Prime Minister	Boyko Borisov
Preceded by	Stefan Yanev
Succeeded by	Atanas Pekanov
In office 6 August 2014 – 7 November 2014
Prime Minister	Georgi Bliznashki
Preceded by	Daniela Bobeva
Succeeded by	Meglena Kuneva
In office 13 March 2013 – 29 May 2013
Prime Minister	Marin Raykov
Preceded by	Tsvetan Tsvetanov
Succeeded by	Tsvetlin Yovchev
Minister of Foreign Affairs
In office 4 May 2017 – 12 May 2021
Prime Minister	Boyko Borisov
Preceded by	Radi Naidenov
Succeeded by	Svetlan Stoev
Minister of Justice
In office 18 December 2015 – 27 January 2017
Prime Minister	Boyko Borisov
Preceded by	Hristo Ivanov
Succeeded by	Mariya Pavlova
Minister of Regional Development and Public Works
In office 6 August 2014 – 7 November 2014
Prime Minister	Georgi Bliznashki
Preceded by	Desislava Terzieva
Succeeded by	Lilyana Pavlova
In office 13 March 2013 – 29 May 2013
Prime Minister	Marin Raykov
Preceded by	Lilyana Pavlova
Succeeded by	Desislava Terzieva
Parliamentary offices Member of the National Assembly Incumbent Assumed office 15 April 2021 Constituency 13th MMC - Pazardzhik
Personal details
Born	Ekaterina Spasova Gecheva (1975-08-08) 8 August 1975 Pazardzhik, PR Bulgaria
Political party	GERB
Spouse	Angel Zahariev ​ (m. 2006)​
Education	Plovdiv University
Occupation	Politician lawyer

Early life and education

Zaharieva was born in Pazardzhik in 1975. She became fluent in German at her local college, then attended the University of Plovdiv where she graduated in law. This was followed by a law master's degree.

Career

Zaharieva meets with U.S. Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo at the U.S. Department of State in Washington, D.C., on November 5, 2018.

She worked as a lawyer until 2003. She then became a legal Advisor of the Ministry of Environment and Water. Zaharieva became the Director of Legal, Administrative and Regulatory Services in 2007.

Entering politics in 2009, she became the Deputy Minister of Regional Development to the Minister Rosen Plevneliev. When Plevneliev became President of Bulgaria, he chose her for the position of one of the Deputy Prime Ministers from March to May in 2013. She was interim deputy Prime Minister to Marin Raykov in the Bulgarian Cabinet.

Zaharieva with President of Israel Reuven Rivlin in Jerusalem, 12 November 2020

In 2013 she was the Minister of Regional Development. From 18 December 2015 she served as Minister of Justice until 27 January 2017. She became the Foreign Minister of Bulgaria on 4 May 2017.

In August 2024 she was nominated, alongside Julian Popov, by the Bulgarian Government to be the next commissioner in the second von der Leyen Commission. Bulgaria was the only country that have followed Von der Leyen's request to nominate two candidates. Zaharieva was chosen by von der Leyen and proposed as the next Commissioner for Startups, Research and Innovation.

See also

• List of foreign ministers in 2017
• List of current foreign ministers