George Ganchev
Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. George Ganchev (born Georgi Petrushev) (Bulgarian: Жорж Ганчев, born Георги Петрушев) is a Bulgarian politician and founder of the now-defunct political parties Bulgarian Business Bloc and George Ganchev's Bloc.
Biography
Petroushev was born on August 29, 1939 in Plovdiv. He studied at the Sports Academy in Bulgaria.[1] In the early 1960s he married an Englishwoman and emigrated from Bulgaria.[2] Some sources put the year in which he became an expatriate as 1967.[1] He graduated from the British Academy of Fencing (where he also served as the head coach of the London Fencing Club from 1968-1973)[3] and the Hollywood Theatrical Institute.[4] Ganchev was also World Professional Fencing Champion (saber individual champion while representing Great Britain) in 1970[5] and 1974. Afterwords he committed himself to directing, play-writing, film and play producing in Great Britain and the United States.[6]
Political Career
After Todor Zhivkov was removed from power on November 10, 1989, Ganchev returned to Bulgaria and took part in founding the Union of Democratic Forces (SDS). He later founded the Bulgarian Business Bloc in 1990 and was elected its chairman. The party contested the 1991 parliamentary elections but won only 73,379 votes (1.3%); failing to cross the 4% electoral threshold.[7]
Ganchev ran for president the following year with Petar Beron (ex-leader of the SDS) as his running mate. They finished 3rd with 16.8% of the popular vote; behind the SDS candidate (and winner) Zhelyu Zhelev and the socialist endorsed Velko Valkanov.[7]
The Bulgarian Business Bloc had a breakthrough in the 1994 parliamentary elections, winning 4.7% of the popular vote and winning 13 seats. Ganchev was elected as a Member of Parliament (sitting from 1995-2001).
Ganchev ran again for president in 1996, this time with Arlin Antonov as his running mate. They finished 3rd, but with 21.9% of the popular vote this time.
In the 1997 parliamentary elections the BBB won 4.9% of the vote, but was down to only 12 seats.
Before the 2001 parliamentary elections he left to form a new party, George Ganchev's Bloc, but the new party was a failure, winning only 17,272 (0.38%) votes. However, the new party had clearly eclipsed the old BBB. His old party polled only 162 votes! The BBB disbanded later that year.
Ganchev ran for president a third and final time in 2001 but finished 5th with only 3.4% of the popular vote. His new party disbanded soon after and Ganchev retired from his political career.
However, he founded a National Patriotic Union (Bulgarian: Национално патриотично обединение) in 2004[8] and the new political entity participated in the 2005 Parliamentary election as part of the Coalition of the Rose (Bulgarian: Коалиция на розата), though it was unable to cross the 4% threshold.[9]
In 2012, he returned to politics once again, reviving his National Patriotic Union.[10]
Later career
Ganchev was the writer, producer & MC of “George in Action” that aired on Bulgarian TV from 2000 to 2005.
Personal life
Ganchev and his English wife Wendy have two daughters, Julia and Silvana,[11] who have started their own business in Los Angeles.[12] Shortly since his return to Bulgaria following the collapse of the totalitarian system in 1989, Ganchev has been in a long-term relationship with Valentina Shishkova, known as Shushi.[12][13] His hobbies include horses, music and poetry.[1] Ganchev formerly held US citizenship, which led to a few controversies regarding his eligibility to contest Bulgarian elections.[14]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Prodanov, Todorov, Avramov & Ivanova 2009, p. 500.
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- ↑ The Academy Diploma
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- ↑ 1970 Fencing Masters World Championship, London
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- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Prodanov, Todorov, Avramov & Ivanova 2009, p. 501.
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- ↑ 12.0 12.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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- Books
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