Svetlana Zhekova
International expert in the field of environment and climate change (EC, UN, SC)
Svetlana Zhekova is an international expert in the field of environment and climate change (EC, UN, SC)
Svetlana Zhekova was born on February 1, 1967 in Sofia.
She graduated from the 9th French high school in Sofia. Master’s degree in French Philology at SU “St. Kliment Ohridski” and a specialist in International Economic Relations from the Free Faculty of the Mining and Geological Institute in Sofia. From 1997 to 1999, she specialized in “International relations with the European Union, Development of the Common Market” at the American University, School of International Services in Washington (USA). She has specializations in “Global Monitoring and Environmental Quality” and “Organization, System and Activities of the United Nations” from the United Nations University in Tokyo (Japan).
Svetlana Zhekova began her professional career in the state administration in 1999 in the European Integration Department of the Ministry of Environment and Water. From May 2004 until now, she held various positions in the Permanent Representation of Bulgaria to the EU (until January 1, 2007 – Mission of Bulgaria to the European Communities) in Brussels. Until 2008, she was First Secretary, representative of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications in the Mission of Bulgaria to the EC. In 2008, she was promoted ahead of schedule to the diplomatic rank of “advisor” for her expert contribution to the protection of the national interest within the multilateral negotiations on the “Climate-Energy” legislative package, as well as in a bilateral format with the Presidency of the EU and the EC. Since 2008, she has been the head of the “Environment” sector in the Representation.
Svetlana Zhekova was a part-time lecturer at the Institute of Public Administration and European Integration. From 1997 to 1999, she was an administrative assistant for projects related to Eastern European countries at Washington College of Law, Washington. She worked as a researcher at the Council of Europe in the field of “Education, Culture and Environment”.
She is fluent in French, English and Russian.