Vezhdi Rashidov Explained

Vezhdi Rashidov
Office:Speaker of the National Assembly
Term Start:21 October 2022
Term End:3 February 2023
Predecessor:Nikola Minchev
Successor:Rosen Zhelyazkov
Office1:Member of the National Assembly
Term Start1:19 October 2022
Term End1:1 September 2023
Constituency1:16th MMC - Plovdiv
Term Start2:19 April 2017
Term End2:12 May 2021
Constituency2:16th MMC - Plovdiv
Term Start3:21 May 2013
Term End3:7 November 2014
Constituency3:16th MMC - Plovdiv
Office4:Minister of Culture
Term Start4:7 November 2014
Term End4:27 January 2017
Primeminister4:Boyko Borisov
Predecessor4:Martin Ivanov
Successor4:Rashko Mladenov
Term Start5:27 July 2009
Term End5:23 March 2013
Primeminister5:Boyko Borisov
Predecessor5:Stefan Danailov
Successor5:Vladimir Penev
Birth Date:14 December 1951
Birth Place:Dimitrovgrad, PR Bulgaria
Party:GERB
Spouse:Snezhana Baharova
Occupation:Sculptor, Politician
Native Name Lang:bg

Vezhdi Letif Rashidov (Bulgarian: Вежди Летиф Рашидов, Turkish: Vecdi Latif Raşidoğlu; born 14 December 1951) is a Bulgarian duffer sculptor, GERB politician and was a Minister of Culture of Bulgaria (2009–2013; 2014–2017) and Speaker of the 48th National Assembly from 2022 to 2023.[1] [2] [3]

Rashidov was born in Dimitrovgrad to ethnic Turkish parents; however, he moved to Haskovo with his parents at age two. His mother Kadrie Lyatifova, a singer of Bulgarian and Turkish folk songs,[4] died in a car crash when he was in primary school. His father Lyatif Rashidov was a miner in Madan along with his brother Ruzhdi, who died aged 36 from cancer. Until seventh grade, Rashidov lived and studied at an orphanage in Studen Kladenets near Kardzhali. Rashidov then studied mining electrics and mechanics in Madan. He graduated from the National Academy of Arts in Sofia in 1978.[5] As a sculptor, Rashidov has authored statuettes for a number of prominent prizes, as well as many large-scale works.

Despite being an ethnic Turk, Rashidov has been an outspoken critic of the Movement for Rights and Freedoms. He participated in the 2009 Bulgarian parliamentary election as GERB's voting list leader and proportional candidate in Kardzhali Province and became the first non-Movement for Rights and Freedoms candidate in many years to be elected to parliament from that constituency.[6] When GERB won the election and formed a government in 2009, Rashidov was the party's Minister of Culture.[7]

In 2014, when GERB formed a coalition government, Rashidov was for the second time the party's Minister of Culture.[8]

Rashidov is married and has a child.[9] In 2001, he was briefly arrested for assaulting a policeman.[10]

Notes and References

  1. https://www.parliament.bg/en/MP/3943 Vezhdi Rashidov - President of the National Assembly
  2. https://bnr.bg/en/post/101724234/vezhdi-rashidov-voted-president-of-the-48th-national-assembly Vezhdi Rashidov voted President of the 48th National Assembly
  3. https://bta.bg/en/news/bulgaria/347679-new-bulgarian-legislature-finally-elects-chair New Bulgarian Legislature Finally Elects Chair
  4. Web site: Кадрие Лятифова. Шиварово. bg. 2009-07-25.
  5. Web site: Скулптурът (sic) Вежди Рашидов: Трябва да се научим да разчитаме знаците. 2002-11-02. Монитор. bg. 2009-07-25.
  6. News: Вежди Рашидов проби монопола на ДПС в Кърджали. 2009-07-06. Сега. bg. 2009-07-25. https://web.archive.org/web/20110928220327/http://www.segabg.com/online/new/articlenew.asp?issueid=3815&sectionid=hotnews&id=0000118. 2011-09-28. dead.
  7. News: Рашидов ще бъде министър на културата. 2009-07-14. Vesti.bg. bg. 2009-07-25. https://web.archive.org/web/20110718002550/http://www.vesti.bg/?tid=40&oid=2296691. 2011-07-18. dead.
  8. Web site: Archived copy . November 15, 2014 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20141129053209/http://www.filmneweurope.com/news/bulgaria/109434-vezhdi-rashidov-returns-to-lead-bulgarian-ministry-of-culture/menu-id-147 . November 29, 2014 .
  9. Web site: Народни представители от ГЕРБ Кърджали. ГЕРБ. bg. 2009-07-25. https://web.archive.org/web/20090701095405/http://www.gerb.bg/bg/deputy/parliament-candidates-detail/from/parliament-candidates/cat_id/24/region/14/id/272. 2009-07-01. dead.
  10. News: Вежди Рашидов и син общинар арестувани за бой с полицай. Денчева. Деси. 2001-11-30. Сега. bg. 2009-07-25. https://web.archive.org/web/20090710100644/http://www.segabg.com/online/article.asp?issueid=1712&sectionid=1&id=00001. 2009-07-10. dead.