Rositsa Karafilova

Eng. Rositsa Atanasova Karafilova-Blagova is a leading Bulgarian environmental expert and public official with significant contributions in the field of environmental protection, waste management, and sustainable development. Since 2021, she has served as Executive Director of the Executive Environment Agency (ExEA) – the national authority responsible for implementing environmental monitoring, data management, and policy enforcement in line with EU legislation. She holds a Master’s degree in Ecology and Environmental Protection from the University of Chemical Technology and Metallurgy (UCTM) in Sofia and earned her PhD in Environmental Sciences in 2008 with a dissertation focused on biogas production through anaerobic digestion of unconventional organic waste. Karafilova-Blagova began her career at the Executive Environment Agency in 2005 as a junior expert in the Waste Monitoring Department. Over the years, she has held various expert and managerial positions within the Agency, establishing a reputation for scientific rigour, strategic thinking, and commitment to public service. In 2022 and 2023, she was appointed Caretaker Minister of Environment and Water in the two consecutive interim governments led by Prime Minister Galab Donev. In this capacity, she prioritised transparency, institutional efficiency, and cross-sectoral collaboration to accelerate Bulgaria’s environmental transition. As a proven leader with strong expertise in environmental governance, Eng. Rositsa Karafilova-Blagova continues to drive forward Bulgaria’s ecological policy and plays a central role in aligning national systems with European Green Deal objectives.