Petar Mladenov was a Bulgarian diplomat and politician who served as foreign minister from 1971 to 1989. On 10 November 1989 he replaced Todor Zhivkov as general secretary, the Communist Party’s highest post. The party leadership made this choice; citizens did not elect him directly. On 17 November he also became chairman of the Council of State, then the collective head of state. Parliament elected him chairman/president on 3 April 1990. He resigned on 6 July that year. His successive offices show separate stages in the changing institutions of government.
History of Bulgaria
