H.E. Mr. Stephan Tafrov has been appointed Permanent Representative of Bulgaria to the United Nations in New York on January 31, 2012.

Mr. Tafrov has represented Bulgaria to the UN as Permanent Representative also between 2001-2006 including during Bulgaria’s membership of the Security Council in 2002 and 2003. Ambassador Tafrov served as President of the Security Council in September 2002 and December 2003. From 1997 to 2001, he was Bulgaria’s Ambassador to France as well as Permanent Delegate of Bulgaria to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). From 1991 to 1997, he held a number of diplomatic posts, serving two separate terms as First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Bulgaria, and as Ambassador to Italy and Malta (1992-1995), and to the United Kingdom and Ireland (1995-1997).

From August 1990 to October 1991 Mr. Tafrov was Foreign Affairs Adviser to the first democratically elected President of Bulgaria Dr. Zheluy Zhelev during a decisive shift in Bulgaria’s foreign policy embracing European values and goals. Mr. Stefan Tafrov and Head of the External Relations Department of the Union of Democratic Forces and co-founder of “Democratzia” daily newspaper. In the 80-s Mr. Tafrov joined the emerging civic, human rights and environmentalist groups in Bulgaria.

Ambassador Tafrov holds a Master’s Degree in Journalism and Mass Communications from the University of Sofia “Kliment Ohridski”. Before embracing diplomacy he had a distinguished career as a journalist and literary critic, specialised in French and Italian literature, translating from French and Italian into Bulgarian works by François Mauriac, André Gide, Jean-Paul Sartre, Claude Simon, Umberto Eco etc.

At the end of his mission to France in 2001 the President of the French Republic made him Commandeur de la Légion d’Honneur.

Ambassador Tafrov is fluent in French, English, Italian, Russian, Spanish and Polish. He was born on March 29, 1955, is married and has a daughter.

Contact Information

Permanent Mission of Bulgaria to th United Nations
11 East 84th St.
New York, NY 10028

Phone: (212) 737-4790/4791

Website: www.un.int/bulgaria/