Sokolov, Jordan

Born in the family of Georgy Sokolov, a prominent Bulgarian lawyer, activist of the People’s Party and member of the Court of Appeal under monarchical authority. Graduated from the Law Faculty of Sofia University . In 1956-1958 - Secretary in the State Arbitration. Since 1958 - a lawyer in Sofia, was elected a member of the Bar Council. Knows French and Russian. Wife - Professor Eva Sokolova, the family has two children.

In 1990 - member of the Federation of Clubs for Democracy, member of the Central Election Commission for Elections to the 7th Grand National Assembly, chairman of the Bar Club for Democracy, participated in the activities of the Central Election Club of the Union of Democratic Forces (SDS) . In 1990-1991 - legal adviser to the President of Bulgaria Zhelyu Zhelev . In 1991, he supported a group of 39 right-wing deputies from the SDS, who refused to sign the Bulgarian Constitution, adopted by the Great National Assembly, in which the majority belonged to socialists (former communists).

In 1991 he was elected to the 36th National Assembly on the list of SDS. From November 8, 1991 to December 20, 1992 - Minister of Internal Affairs in the government of the then leader of the SDS, Philip Dimitrov . During this period, Yordan Sokolov became one of the most influential figures in Bulgarian politics - this was facilitated by the possession of important information available to the head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, and the high degree of his unofficial influence on the situation in the SDS. Together with Ministers Ivan Kostov (future Prime Minister) and Svetoslav Luchnikov, he was one of the closest associates of Prime Minister Dimitrov (this group was unofficially called “ Daggers ”). In 2008, Sokolov said that during his tenure as head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, his opponents, from among businessmen who controlled the First Private Bank and were associated with criminal structures, were preparing the assassination of the minister, who, according to his information, was allocated 3 million leva. [1] (inaccessible link)

After the resignation of the Dimitrov government, Sokolov's candidacy was nominated for the post of prime minister from the SDS. He was a member of the National Club for Democracy, in 1994 he was elected as a deputy of the 37th National Assembly from the SDS, was chairman of the SDS parliamentary group. In 1996, the question of nominating his candidacy for president from the right forces was considered, but he refused in favor of Peter Stoyanov , who was elected president.

In 1997, he was elected as a deputy of the 38th National Assembly from the SDS and became its chairman (the first chairman of parliament in post-Soviet Bulgaria, who spent the entire term stipulated by the Constitution in this post until 2001). He was one of the closest supporters of Prime Minister Ivan Kostov and his policies. He had a great informal influence on the judicial system and the security sector - the candidates he proposed were appointed to the posts of ministers of the interior, justice, prosecutor general, court leaders and special services. In 2000-2002 - Deputy Chairman of the SDS. In 2000, the patriarch of Jerusalem, Diodorus, awarded him the honorary title of a knight of the Holy Sepulcher . He was also an active political opponent of Peter Dertliev .

In 2001, he was elected as a deputy of the 39th National Assembly from the SDS, and was deputy chairman of the internal security commission. He was one of the SDS leaders who actively advocated that the party remain in opposition to the government of Simeon of Saxcoburggot . In 2004, he was among the deputies who left the SDS and formed a new deputy group of the UDF, and soon founded the new right-wing party, Democrats for Strong Bulgaria , headed by Ivan Kostov, in which Sokolov became chairman of the Internal Party Arbitration.

I did not take part in the 2005 parliamentary elections, moving away from active political activity and returning to legal practice.

He was awarded the Danish Order of the Elephant , the Swedish Order of the Seraphim , the Order of the "Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Cyril and Methodius . "

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