Grand Mufti honored the memory of the President Dr. Zhelyu Zhelev

The Grand Mufti Dr Mustafa Hadzhi honored the memory of the first democratically elected president of Bulgaria (1990-1997) Dr. Zhelyu Zhelev. He passed away on 30^th of January, 2015 at the age of 79. The burial service took place on 1^st of February in the Patriarchal Cathedral St. Alexander Nevski”.

A philosopher and a notable dissident, public figure and a statesman. Dr. Zhelyu Zhelev was a main initiator and a co-founder of the Club for Support of Openness and the Reform and is among the founders of the Union of Democratic Forces (SDS, in Bulgarian СДС) (December, 1989). He was a Chairman of the Parliamentary group of SDS in the Grand National Assembly (June, 1990). On 1^st of August, 1990 he was elected from the GNA for a President of the Republic of Bulgaria, and on 19^th of January, 1992, under the new Constitution of the country he was elected for a head of the state directly by the population.

Since 1993 he was a patron of the Liberal International, and since 1997 he was a Honorary Chairman of the party “Liberal Democratic Alternative”. He was a President of “Dr. Zhelyu Zhelev” Foundation, a member, a founder and a President of the Balkan Political Club.

He was awarded with the highest state honors Order of Stara Planina I class, as well as with many other academic and state awards.