Solomon Passy
Encyclopedia
Solomon Isaac Passy (born December 22, 1956) is a Bulgarian politician, foreign minister
of Bulgaria
from July 2001 until August 2005, and the Chairman-in-Office of the OSCE in 2004. Dr. Passy is also a member of the Advisory Board of the Institute for Cultural Diplomacy
.
. He is the son of famous Bulgarian philosopher Isaac Passy
. He is a mathematician
and holds a Ph.D.
in Mathematical Logic and Computer Science from Sofia University
. He was involved in the dissident movement under the socialist regime. In 1990, Passy was the founding President and CEO of the Atlantic Club of Bulgaria
, a non-governmental organization to lobby for NATO membership, and the founder and spokesman of the Green Party of Bulgaria
.
and Computer Science
at Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski” and at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences. Passy and his team completed a study on modal logic
, originally initiated by Aristotle
, framing the theory of the necessary truths in the possible worlds – popular today as hybrid logic
. Before that he was studying the boundaries of human understanding and limits of knowledge. Solomon Passy is the author of dozens of publications in international journals on logics and computer science.
, the first pro-Atlantic NGO ever founded in a non-NATO member state.
government from July 2001 until August 2005 and Chairman-in-Office
of the OSCE in 2004.
During his term as Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee, Bulgaria succeeded in finalizing all procedures and effectively joined the Union in 2007.
- Full commitment of the Bulgarian state and government with this case;
- Establishment a full fledged dialogue with Libya, channelled through Seif Al-Islam and his Gaddafi Charity Foundation. Passy visited 5 times Libya, met 3 times with Libyan leader Muammar al-Gaddafi
and relevant Libyan authorities;
- Full-fledged internationalization of the case, realized, among others, through EU and US, UN and UNSC, NATO, OSCE, CE
, The Pope, The Ecumenical Patriarch. These efforts resulted in the three-lateral format EU-US-BG (March 2005) which in concert conducted and concluded the negotiations with Libya.
Support of building conditions for full reintegration of Libya in the international community;
- A satisfactory and respectful solution for both sides, based on the knowledge of the full innocence of the six Bulgarian medics and the Palestinian doctor, and the full sympathy with the tragedy of over than 400 Libyan families of the children in Benghazi, infected by the HIV/AIDS.
The medics were liberated six years later, on July 24, 2007, when Passy was Chairman of the Foreign Affaires Committee and Vice-Chairman of the BG-Libyan caucus in the Bulgarian Parliament.
He is currently a Member of Parliament
of the 40th National Assembly of Bulgaria
, and Chairperson of the Foreign Policy Committee.
Solomon Passy took part in several Antarctic
expeditions to Livingston Island.
Passy is also well-known for his muddy-grey Trabant
. The car became an ironic symbol of Bulgaria's aspirations to join NATO and the EU when Passy gave rides in the car to several NATO Secretaries-General, including Manfred Wörner
and Jaap de Hoop Scheffer
. Pope John Paul II
, on a visit to Sofia in 2002, blessed Passy's Trabant. Passy transported numerous dignitaries in his Trabant, beginning with an impromptu lift he provided late NATO Secretary General Manfred Wörner to the Queen's Birthday celebration at the British Embassy in Sofia in summer 1991. The car, which was parked in front of the Bulgarian Foreign Ministry during Passy's tenure as minister, is now on display at the Bulgarian National Historical Museum.
Foreign minister
A Minister of Foreign Affairs, or foreign minister, is a cabinet minister who helps form the foreign policy of a sovereign state. The foreign minister is often regarded as the most senior ministerial position below that of the head of government . It is often granted to the deputy prime minister in...
of Bulgaria
Bulgaria
Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
from July 2001 until August 2005, and the Chairman-in-Office of the OSCE in 2004. Dr. Passy is also a member of the Advisory Board of the Institute for Cultural Diplomacy
Institute for Cultural Diplomacy
The Institute for Cultural Diplomacy is an international, not-for-profit, non-governmental organisation based in Berlin. Founded in 1999 by Mark Donfried, its activities focus on promoting and developing the field of cultural diplomacy by conducting research, initiatives and programs, holding...
.
Summary
Solomon Passy was born in PlovdivPlovdiv
Plovdiv is the second-largest city in Bulgaria after Sofia with a population of 338,153 inhabitants according to Census 2011. Plovdiv's history spans some 6,000 years, with traces of a Neolithic settlement dating to roughly 4000 BC; it is one of the oldest cities in Europe...
. He is the son of famous Bulgarian philosopher Isaac Passy
Isaac Passy
Isaac Passy was a Bulgarian philosopher specializing in aesthetics. He was a professor at Sofia University from 1952 until 1993. He was the most prolific philosopher in the history of Bulgaria. He published over 40 monographs and over 80 volumes of the philosophical classics...
. He is a mathematician
Mathematician
A mathematician is a person whose primary area of study is the field of mathematics. Mathematicians are concerned with quantity, structure, space, and change....
and holds a Ph.D.
Ph.D.
A Ph.D. is a Doctor of Philosophy, an academic degree.Ph.D. may also refer to:* Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*Piled Higher and Deeper, a web comic strip*PhD: Phantasy Degree, a Korean comic series* PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
in Mathematical Logic and Computer Science from Sofia University
Sofia University
The St. Clement of Ohrid University of Sofia or Sofia University is the oldest higher education institution in Bulgaria, founded on 1 October 1888...
. He was involved in the dissident movement under the socialist regime. In 1990, Passy was the founding President and CEO of the Atlantic Club of Bulgaria
Atlantic Club of Bulgaria
The Atlantic Club of Bulgaria is a non-governmental, non-partisan organization dedicated to fostering the common values of the Euro-Atlantic community.- Mission :...
, a non-governmental organization to lobby for NATO membership, and the founder and spokesman of the Green Party of Bulgaria
Green Party of Bulgaria
The Green Party of Bulgaria is a political party in Bulgaria. It is part of the Coalition for Bulgaria, an alliance led by the Bulgarian Socialist Party...
.
Career
- June 2007 – to present: Special Adviser to the Macedonian Government on NATO accession
- August 2006 – to present: Chairman of the Transparency and Accountability Committee of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly
- August 2005 – to present: Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the 40th National Assembly
- August 2005 – to present: Chairman of the Bulgaria–USA caucus of the 40th National Assembly
- June 2005 – to present: MP, National Movement Simeon II, third term as MP since 1990.
- July 2001 – August 2005: Minister of Foreign Affairs in the Government of Prime Minister Simeon Saxe-Coburg.
1980-1994
During that period Passy was a PhD student and Assistant Professor in Mathematical LogicMathematical logic
Mathematical logic is a subfield of mathematics with close connections to foundations of mathematics, theoretical computer science and philosophical logic. The field includes both the mathematical study of logic and the applications of formal logic to other areas of mathematics...
and Computer Science
Computer science
Computer science or computing science is the study of the theoretical foundations of information and computation and of practical techniques for their implementation and application in computer systems...
at Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski” and at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences. Passy and his team completed a study on modal logic
Modal logic
Modal logic is a type of formal logic that extends classical propositional and predicate logic to include operators expressing modality. Modals — words that express modalities — qualify a statement. For example, the statement "John is happy" might be qualified by saying that John is...
, originally initiated by Aristotle
Aristotle
Aristotle was a Greek philosopher and polymath, a student of Plato and teacher of Alexander the Great. His writings cover many subjects, including physics, metaphysics, poetry, theater, music, logic, rhetoric, linguistics, politics, government, ethics, biology, and zoology...
, framing the theory of the necessary truths in the possible worlds – popular today as hybrid logic
Hybrid logic
Hybrid logic refers to a number of extensions to propositional modal logic with more expressive power, though still less than first-order logic. In formal logic, there is a trade-off between expressiveness and computational tractability . The history of hybrid logic began with Arthur Prior's work...
. Before that he was studying the boundaries of human understanding and limits of knowledge. Solomon Passy is the author of dozens of publications in international journals on logics and computer science.
1990-1991
During that period, Passy was an MP in the Bulgarian Grand National Assembly from the Green Party, a member party of the Union of Democratic Forces (UDF)Union of Democratic Forces
Union of Democratic Forces or Union of the Democratic Forces is the name of:*Union of Democratic Forces *Union of Democratic Forces *Union of Democratic Forces *Union of Democratic Forces...
- As an MP in August 1990, Passy drafted a bill for Bulgaria’s withdrawal from the Warsaw PactWarsaw PactThe Warsaw Treaty Organization of Friendship, Cooperation, and Mutual Assistance , or more commonly referred to as the Warsaw Pact, was a mutual defense treaty subscribed to by eight communist states in Eastern Europe...
and accession to NATO, which was the start of the nations’ efforts to join the Alliance. This was also the beginning of the public discussion in Central and Eastern Europe for the dissolution of the Warsaw Pact and NATO’s enlargement eastwards. The Warsaw Pact was officially disbanded in July 1991 while the enlargement of NATO materialized in 1999. - In 1990 Passy drafted also the bill for Bulgaria’s accession to the European Union.
- Passy was a co-author of the new Bulgarian Constitution (1991)
- In August 1990 after Saddam HusseinSaddam HusseinSaddam Hussein Abd al-Majid al-Tikriti was the fifth President of Iraq, serving in this capacity from 16 July 1979 until 9 April 2003...
’s invasion of KuwaitInvasion of KuwaitThe Invasion of Kuwait, also known as the Iraq-Kuwait War, was a major conflict between the Republic of Iraq and the State of Kuwait, which resulted in the seven-month long Iraqi occupation of Kuwait, which subsequently led to direct military intervention by United States-led forces in the Gulf...
, Passy was a co-sponsor of the bill which authorized Bulgaria’s participation in the international coalition commissioned with expelling Iraqi forces from Kuwait. In the next decade he was continuously advocating the liberation of Iraq from Saddam Hussein's regime. - In 1990, Passy was the sponsor of the draft bill for abolishment of the death penalty in Bulgaria, a cause which he had defended since 1985. The respective law was approved in 1998.
1991-2001
During that period, Passy became founding President and CEO of the Atlantic Club of BulgariaAtlantic Club of Bulgaria
The Atlantic Club of Bulgaria is a non-governmental, non-partisan organization dedicated to fostering the common values of the Euro-Atlantic community.- Mission :...
, the first pro-Atlantic NGO ever founded in a non-NATO member state.
- Passy launched (1994) the idea of joint Bulgarian-Greek and Bulgarian-Turkish military contingents which materialized in 1999 with the creation of the South-Eastern European Brigade, SEEBRIG.
- Passy was a prominent public supporter of NATO’s involvement in Former Yugoslavia and in particular of NATO’s operation in KosovoKosovo WarThe term Kosovo War or Kosovo conflict was two sequential, and at times parallel, armed conflicts in Kosovo province, then part of FR Yugoslav Republic of Serbia; from early 1998 to 1999, there was an armed conflict initiated by the ethnic Albanian "Kosovo Liberation Army" , who sought independence...
in 1999. - In the mid ‘90s Passy was a proponent of the movement of US military facilities in Europe eastwards and to Bulgaria in particular – a goal materialized, for Bulgaria's part, with his work as foreign minister in 2006.
July 2001 to present
Passy was MP and Chairman of the Foreign Affairs, Defence and Security Committee of the 39th National Assembly. Following Passy's proposal, the Bulgarian Parliament decided to unite the Foreign Affairs and Defence Committees in order to secure a coherent foreign and defence policy, paving the way to the country’s accession to NATO. Passy was minister of foreign affairs in the National Movement Simeon IINational Movement Simeon II
The National Movement for Stability and Progress or Nacionalno dviženie za stabilnost i văzhod), until 3 June 2007 known as the National Movement Simeon II , is a liberal political party in Bulgaria, the vehicle of Simeon Borisov Sakskoburggotski, the deposed Tsar of Bulgaria and former Prime...
government from July 2001 until August 2005 and Chairman-in-Office
Chairman-in-Office
A Chairman-in-Office or President-in-Office is the ambassador, foreign minister, or other official of the member state holding the presidency of an international organization, who is the individual actually chairing the meeting of the representatives from member states.The head of government of...
of the OSCE in 2004.
- NATO - During Passy's mandate as Minister of Foreign Affairs Bulgaria was invited to join NATO (Prague 2002) and effectively joined the Alliance (March 2004). In 2003 with the participation of Passy, the Governments of the US and Bulgaria started negotiations for the establishment of joint US-Bulgarian military facilities in Bulgaria. The negotiations were completed and ratified by the Bulgarian Parliament in May 2006 during Passy’s mandate as Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee. In July 2004, Passy launched the idea for a common code for hostage crisis management which evolved into the Policy statement of the Global coalition against terrorism.
- EU - During Passy's mandate as Minister of Foreign Affairs Bulgaria concluded the negotiations with the European Union on all chapters (2004), agreed with the EU (2002) on the date of accession – January 1, 2007, signed the Accession Treaty (April 2005) and ratified the Treaty (May 2005).
During his term as Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee, Bulgaria succeeded in finalizing all procedures and effectively joined the Union in 2007.
- UNSC - During Passy's mandate Bulgaria served on the UN Security Council (2002-2003) and contributed to the Security Council resolutions that defining the security policy of the international community after the terrorist attacks of September 11th 2001. Passy chaired the UNSC in September 2002 and December 2003. In 2001 – 2005 the Government made the key decisions for Bulgaria’s participation in US and NATO operations in Afghanistan and US operations in Iraq.
- OSCE - In 2004 Passy was the Chairman-in-Office of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe. He was a member of the OSCE TroikaTroikaThe general meaning of the Russian and Bulgarian word troika is three of a kind, a collection of three or simply the number three. It may also mean:-Politics:* Troika of judges or political leaders...
during 2003-2005. During his tenure OSCE reached a consensus on further reforms in the Organization, stepped up efforts in fighting anti-Semitism, xenophobia and discrimination, sought to contribute to democratic processes in Georgia and Ukraine, supported peace efforts in Georgia, Moldova, Kosovo, Armenia and Azerbaijan and addressed the countries of Central Asia. The Organization resumed its activities in the Middle East and reached out to new countries in Asia. - Balkans and Neighbours - In 2004-2005 Passy launched the vision for Bulgaria to become a pro-active exporter of "Euro-Atlantic values" to Balkan and Black Sea regions. He proposed and signed agreements in that respect with AlbaniaAlbaniaAlbania , officially known as the Republic of Albania , is a country in Southeastern Europe, in the Balkans region. It is bordered by Montenegro to the northwest, Kosovo to the northeast, the Republic of Macedonia to the east and Greece to the south and southeast. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea...
, CroatiaCroatiaCroatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
, MacedoniaRepublic of MacedoniaMacedonia , officially the Republic of Macedonia , is a country located in the central Balkan peninsula in Southeast Europe. It is one of the successor states of the former Yugoslavia, from which it declared independence in 1991...
, MontenegroMontenegroMontenegro Montenegrin: Crna Gora Црна Гора , meaning "Black Mountain") is a country located in Southeastern Europe. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea to the south-west and is bordered by Croatia to the west, Bosnia and Herzegovina to the northwest, Serbia to the northeast and Albania to the...
, Serbia and MontenegroSerbia and MontenegroSerbia and Montenegro was a country in southeastern Europe, formed from two former republics of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia : Serbia and Montenegro. Following the breakup of Yugoslavia, it was established in 1992 as a federation called the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia...
, GeorgiaGeorgia (country)Georgia is a sovereign state in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded to the west by the Black Sea, to the north by Russia, to the southwest by Turkey, to the south by Armenia, and to the southeast by Azerbaijan. The capital of...
and UkraineUkraineUkraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
. In 2005 Passy launched a strategy, adopted by the Bulgarian Government, to almost double the crossing points over Bulgarian borders in the period 2005-15, which would bring the Balkans closer to the European infrastructural standards. - Pope John Paul II visit in Bulgaria - Passy campaigned for eight years to invite Pope John Paul II to Bulgaria. In May 2002, during his ministerial mandate, the Pope visited Bulgaria. During his visit he denied the so-called “Bulgarian connection” in the attempted assassination of 19811981 Pope John Paul II assassination attemptThe first attempted assassination of Pope John Paul II took place on Wednesday, May 13, 1981, in St. Peter's Square at Vatican City. The Pope was shot and critically wounded by Mehmet Ali Ağca while he was entering the square. The Pope was struck 4 times, and suffered severe blood loss. Ağca was...
. The event was intended to restore the country’s reputation. - The Bulgarian medics in Libya - On July 24, 2001 Passy inherited with his portfolio the very dramatic caseHIV trial in LibyaThe HIV trial in Libya concerns the trials, appeals and eventual release of six foreign medical workers charged with conspiring to deliberately infect over 400 children with HIV in 1998, causing an epidemic at El-Fatih Children's Hospital in Benghazi, Libya.The defendants were a Palestinian...
with 6 Bulgarian nationals and 1 Palestinian doctor detained in Libyan prison, unjustly accused for deliberate infection of over than 400 Libyan children by HIV/AIDS. Passy built up the strategy of his Government for negotiations with Libya, officially based on five basic principles:
- Full commitment of the Bulgarian state and government with this case;
- Establishment a full fledged dialogue with Libya, channelled through Seif Al-Islam and his Gaddafi Charity Foundation. Passy visited 5 times Libya, met 3 times with Libyan leader Muammar al-Gaddafi
Muammar al-Gaddafi
Muammar Muhammad Abu Minyar Gaddafi or "September 1942" 20 October 2011), commonly known as Muammar Gaddafi or Colonel Gaddafi, was the official ruler of the Libyan Arab Republic from 1969 to 1977 and then the "Brother Leader" of the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya from 1977 to 2011.He seized power in a...
and relevant Libyan authorities;
- Full-fledged internationalization of the case, realized, among others, through EU and US, UN and UNSC, NATO, OSCE, CE
Council of Europe
The Council of Europe is an international organisation promoting co-operation between all countries of Europe in the areas of legal standards, human rights, democratic development, the rule of law and cultural co-operation...
, The Pope, The Ecumenical Patriarch. These efforts resulted in the three-lateral format EU-US-BG (March 2005) which in concert conducted and concluded the negotiations with Libya.
Support of building conditions for full reintegration of Libya in the international community;
- A satisfactory and respectful solution for both sides, based on the knowledge of the full innocence of the six Bulgarian medics and the Palestinian doctor, and the full sympathy with the tragedy of over than 400 Libyan families of the children in Benghazi, infected by the HIV/AIDS.
The medics were liberated six years later, on July 24, 2007, when Passy was Chairman of the Foreign Affaires Committee and Vice-Chairman of the BG-Libyan caucus in the Bulgarian Parliament.
- North Korea - After the successful developments with the Bulgarian medics in Libya’s, in July 2007, Passy assumed a good-will visit to PyongyangPyongyangPyongyang is the capital of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, commonly known as North Korea, and the largest city in the country. Pyongyang is located on the Taedong River and, according to preliminary results from the 2008 population census, has a population of 3,255,388. The city was...
to propose to the government of North Korea the positive model of Libya for reintegration in the international community and to share the painful Bulgarian know-how in this process. - MFA - During Passy's mandate and on his initiative, the Bulgarian government established the Position of the Minister of European Affairs (2002) as well as the Diplomatic Institute of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (2003) – the first Diplomatic School in the history of Bulgaria. He established also the Cultural Institute of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (2005) – the largest open air collection of sculptures in Bulgaria.
Public
- 2005-2007: Vice-President of the National Movement Simeon IINational Movement Simeon IIThe National Movement for Stability and Progress or Nacionalno dviženie za stabilnost i văzhod), until 3 June 2007 known as the National Movement Simeon II , is a liberal political party in Bulgaria, the vehicle of Simeon Borisov Sakskoburggotski, the deposed Tsar of Bulgaria and former Prime...
(NMSS) - 2002-2005: Member of Political Council of NMSS
- 1996-1999: Vice-Chairman of the Atlantic Treaty Association, Paris
- 1999: Co-chairman of the Host Committee for the visit of United States President Bill ClintonBill ClintonWilliam Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
to Bulgaria - 1994: Leader of the Bulgarian delegation for the Audience with H.H. Pope John Paul II
- 1991: Chairman of the Host Committee for the Dalai LamaDalai LamaThe Dalai Lama is a high lama in the Gelug or "Yellow Hat" branch of Tibetan Buddhism. The name is a combination of the Mongolian word далай meaning "Ocean" and the Tibetan word bla-ma meaning "teacher"...
’s visit to SofiaSofiaSofia is the capital and largest city of Bulgaria and the 12th largest city in the European Union with a population of 1.27 million people. It is located in western Bulgaria, at the foot of Mount Vitosha and approximately at the centre of the Balkan Peninsula.Prehistoric settlements were excavated... - 1993-2005: Member of the 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 13th Bulgarian Antarctic Expeditions to Livingston Island, Antarctica. He was the first Bulgarian Cabinet Member to visit the Bulgarian Antarctic Base. As a result of the efforts of the Bulgarian Antarctic community and of Dr. Passy in particular, in 1998 Bulgaria was accepted as the 28th consultative member to the Antarctic Treaty. In recognition of his contribution to the Bulgarian Antarctic program, a peak on *Livingston Island was named after Passy.
- 1989: Founder and Spokesman of the Green Party of Bulgaria
- 1990-1991: Co-founder and member of the Coordinating Council of UDFUnion of Democratic ForcesUnion of Democratic Forces or Union of the Democratic Forces is the name of:*Union of Democratic Forces *Union of Democratic Forces *Union of Democratic Forces *Union of Democratic Forces...
- 1989-1990: Participant in the National Round Table for transition to democracy
- 1989: Activist of the EcoglasnostEcoglasnostEcoglasnost , also known as Independent Society of Ecoglasnost , is an independent Bulgarian environmental organization, established on 11 April 1989 and formally registered on 11 December 1989...
opposition movement - 1985-1989: In opposition to anti-Muslim repressive policy of the Communist regime
He is currently a Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
of the 40th National Assembly of Bulgaria
National Assembly of Bulgaria
The National Assembly of Bulgaria is the unicameral parliament and body of the legislative of the Republic of Bulgaria.The National Assembly of Bulgaria was established in 1879 with the Constitution of Bulgaria.-Ordinary National Assembly:...
, and Chairperson of the Foreign Policy Committee.
Solomon Passy took part in several Antarctic
Antarctic
The Antarctic is the region around the Earth's South Pole, opposite the Arctic region around the North Pole. The Antarctic comprises the continent of Antarctica and the ice shelves, waters and island territories in the Southern Ocean situated south of the Antarctic Convergence...
expeditions to Livingston Island.
Passy is also well-known for his muddy-grey Trabant
Trabant
The Trabant is a car that was produced by former East German auto maker VEB Sachsenring Automobilwerke Zwickau in Zwickau, Sachsen. It was the most common vehicle in East Germany, and was also exported to countries both inside and outside the communist bloc...
. The car became an ironic symbol of Bulgaria's aspirations to join NATO and the EU when Passy gave rides in the car to several NATO Secretaries-General, including Manfred Wörner
Manfred Wörner
Manfred Hermann Wörner was a German politician and diplomat. He served as the defense minister of West Germany between 1982 and 1988. He then served as the seventh Secretary General of NATO from 1988 to 1994. His term as Secretary General saw the end of the Cold War and the German reunification...
and Jaap de Hoop Scheffer
Jaap de Hoop Scheffer
Jakob Gijsbert "Jaap" de Hoop Scheffer is a retired Dutch politician of the Christian Democratic Appeal . He served as the 11th Secretary General of NATO from January 5, 2004 until August 1, 2009....
. Pope John Paul II
Pope John Paul II
Blessed Pope John Paul II , born Karol Józef Wojtyła , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church and Sovereign of Vatican City from 16 October 1978 until his death on 2 April 2005, at of age. His was the second-longest documented pontificate, which lasted ; only Pope Pius IX ...
, on a visit to Sofia in 2002, blessed Passy's Trabant. Passy transported numerous dignitaries in his Trabant, beginning with an impromptu lift he provided late NATO Secretary General Manfred Wörner to the Queen's Birthday celebration at the British Embassy in Sofia in summer 1991. The car, which was parked in front of the Bulgarian Foreign Ministry during Passy's tenure as minister, is now on display at the Bulgarian National Historical Museum.
Education and degrees
- 1985 Ph.D. in Mathematical Logic & Computer Science, Sofia University
- 1979 M.S. in Mathematical Logic, Sofia UniversitySofia UniversityThe St. Clement of Ohrid University of Sofia or Sofia University is the oldest higher education institution in Bulgaria, founded on 1 October 1888...
Co-founder of
- - Bulgarian Aero-Space Agency (1993)
- - Manfred Woerner Foundation (1994)
- - Bulgarian Antarctic Institute (1994)
- - Bulgarian Wildlife Fund (1989)
Member of
- Board of trustees of the American University in BulgariaAmerican University in BulgariaAmerican University in Bulgaria is a private, selective, residential liberal arts university located in Blagoevgrad, Bulgaria. Courses are taught in English by high-quality faculty coming from four continents, experienced in teaching in a multicultural, learner-centered environment...
- Board of trustees of the Burgas Free University
- Bulgarian Society for Protection of Birds - BirdLife Bulgaria
- National Geographic SocietyNational Geographic SocietyThe National Geographic Society , headquartered in Washington, D.C. in the United States, is one of the largest non-profit scientific and educational institutions in the world. Its interests include geography, archaeology and natural science, the promotion of environmental and historical...
- Honorary Member of The International Raoul Wallenberg Foundation
- Advisory Board of the Institute for Cultural DiplomacyInstitute for Cultural DiplomacyThe Institute for Cultural Diplomacy is an international, not-for-profit, non-governmental organisation based in Berlin. Founded in 1999 by Mark Donfried, its activities focus on promoting and developing the field of cultural diplomacy by conducting research, initiatives and programs, holding...
.
International State Awards
- Order of the Star of Italian SolidarityOrder of the Star of Italian SolidarityThe Order of the Star of Italian Solidarity was founded as national order by the first President of the Italian Republic, Enrico De Nicola, in 1947, to recognise civilian and military expatriates or foreigners who made an outstanding contribution to the reconstruction of Italy after World War...
(Grand Cross), Italy, 2006 - Grand Cross of the Order of Isabella the Catholic, Spain, 2006
- Order of Léopold IIOrder of Leopold IIThe Order of Leopold II is an order of Belgium and is named in honor of King Léopold II. The decoration was established on 24 August 1900 by Leopold II as king of the Congo Free State and was in 1908, upon Congo being handed over to Belgium, incorporated into the Belgian awards system...
(Grand Cross), Belgium, 2004 - Orden Del Mérito CivilOrder of Civil MeritThe Order of Civil Merit was established by HM. King Alfonso XIII of Spain in 1926. The order recognizes “the civic virtue of officers in the service of the Nation, as well as extraordinary service by Spanish and foreign citizens for the benefit of Spain”....
(Gran Cruz), Spain, 2003 - Grand Cross of the Order of Prince Henry, Portugal, 2002
Awards
- - Doctor Honoris Causa of the South-West University of Bulgaria (2005).
- - Dr. Passy is the bearer of the first Balkan Peace Award, awarded by the South East European Journalists Union (Edirne) for his contribution to peace in the region (2004).
- - Award for contribution to social peace from the Turkish daily newspaper “Zaman”.
- - The American Jewish CommitteeAmerican Jewish CommitteeThe American Jewish Committee was "founded in 1906 with the aim of rallying all sections of American Jewry to defend the rights of Jews all over the world...
’s Distinguished statesman award in recognition of distinguished leadership to advance the principles of peace, democracy and international cooperation (2002). - -Award for longstanding dedication to Euro-Atlantic ideals from the Greek Association for Atlantic and European cooperation (2001).
- -Honorary citizen of the town of Nedelino (2003).
Languages
- Bulgarian (native)
- English (fluent)
- Russian
- French
- Understands the Balkan Slavic languages: Bosnian, Croatian, Macedonian, Montenegrian, Serbian
Hobbies
Solomon Passy loves sports and occasionally practices some:- joggingJoggingJogging is a form of trotting or running at a slow or leisurely pace. The main intention is to increase fitness with less stress on the body than from faster running.-Definition:...
- swimming and rappelling
- He was honoured a black beltBlack belt (martial arts)In martial arts, the black belt is a way to describe a graduate of a field where a practitioner's level is often marked by the color of the belt. The black belt is commonly the highest belt color used and denotes a degree of competence. It is often associated with a teaching grade though...
in aikidoAikidois a Japanese martial art developed by Morihei Ueshiba as a synthesis of his martial studies, philosophy, and religious beliefs. Aikido is often translated as "the Way of unifying life energy" or as "the Way of harmonious spirit." Ueshiba's goal was to create an art that practitioners could use to...
. Enjoys chessChessChess is a two-player board game played on a chessboard, a square-checkered board with 64 squares arranged in an eight-by-eight grid. It is one of the world's most popular games, played by millions of people worldwide at home, in clubs, online, by correspondence, and in tournaments.Each player...
. - At the age of 50 Passy performed his first flight on an F-16 fighterF-16 Fighting FalconThe General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon is a multirole jet fighter aircraft originally developed by General Dynamics for the United States Air Force . Designed as an air superiority day fighter, it evolved into a successful all-weather multirole aircraft. Over 4,400 aircraft have been built since...
, for a 1.5 hour training of a combat mission destroying a terrorists’ bunker, during a joint BG-US exercise over the airspace of Bulgaria.
External links
- Solomon Passy as a NATO SG nominee
- Solomon Passy CV, National Assembly of Bulgaria
- National Assembly of Bulgaria, Foreign Affairs Committee
- Pope blesses Trabant during visit to Bulgaria
- Foreign Ministry, Network Operator React to Espionage Allegations
- OSCE PA member directory (Bulgaria): Passy on page 3 from OSCE Parliamentary Assembly