Rumen Radev and Iliana Yotova
According to data released by the National Statistical Institute in August, the base remuneration of the head of state was increased by BGN 1,596, bringing the monthly salary to BGN 15,870, which is roughly EUR 8,115. As a former career officer, Rumen Radev was also entitled to a length-of-service bonus of 1.4% for each year of service. With 20 years in the military, this raised his total monthly income to around BGN 19,033, or approximately EUR 9,730.
The same base salary level applies to Iliana Yotova, who has now assumed the office of President following Radev’s resignation. Her final remuneration as Vice President was higher due to her own years of service. According to her asset declaration for 2024, Yotova received a total annual income of BGN 205,277 from her position, which is equivalent to about EUR 105,000.
Beyond her institutional role, Yotova has long been associated with issues related to the Black Sea and its strategic importance within the European Union’s maritime policy. As early as 2010, she called for increased EU focus on the region and raised concerns over the management of Black Sea fisheries before the European Commission.
She later authored a report titled “The Current and Future Management of Fisheries in the Black Sea,” which argued for the creation of a dedicated advisory body, noting the absence of a comprehensive agreement among the six countries bordering the sea. The document sought to balance the interests of all coastal states and was approved by the European Parliament in Strasbourg on 13 September 2011, formally integrating the Black Sea into the EU’s common maritime and fisheries policy.
Following this initiative, and at Yotova’s request, members of the European Parliament’s Fisheries Committee visited Bulgaria to familiarize themselves with regional conditions and support the implementation of the report. This process ultimately led to the establishment of a regional advisory council for the Black Sea, tasked with defending the interests of local communities and fishermen, with financial backing from the SAPARD pre-accession programme and EU operational funds.