Atanas Semerdzhiev

Atanas Georgiev Semerdzhiev was a Bulgarian general, statesman and politician. He was a veteran of World War II, as he participated in the Partisan Movement in Bulgaria during 1942–1944. During the same period he became the commander of the Chepinets Partisan Brigade, as he fought against the Tsardom of Bulgaria and Nazi Germany. He is the longest-serving Chief of the General Staff of the Bulgarian People's Army (1962–1989), first deputy minister of defence (1966–1989), member of the Central Committee of the BKP (1962–1990) and the Supreme Council of the Bulgarian Socialist Party (1990–1992), Minister of Interior (1989–1990), first vice president of Bulgaria (1990–1992) elected by the National Assembly. People's representative in the VII Supreme Court and V-IX Supreme Court. He is the author of memoirs and military-theoretical works.