Professor Mykhailo Stanchev is 70: The Career of a Statesman, Scholar, and Diplomat

Abstract

The article is dedicated to the life and work of Professor Mykhailo Stanchev, who has recently celebrated his 70th anniversary. In the form of a memoir, the author tells about Professor Stanchev’s first steps in academia, his student years at A. Gorky Kharkiv State University (now V. N. Karazin Kharkiv National University), and his early interest in Bulgarian studies. The main focus of the article is on Stanchev’s research work, in which he continued Kharkiv University’s long tradition of historical Bulgarian studies. His candidate’s thesis, dedicated to the role of youth organizations in the development of Ukrainian-Bulgarian cultural ties, was completed under the supervision of the prominent Soviet Bulgarist, professor of Kharkiv University H. M. Popov. Stanchev’s fellowship at Sofia University ‘St. Kliment of Ohrid’ in 1988-1989 took his research to a new level. A milestone in Stanchev’s academic career was the defense of his doctoral dissertation on “Dr. C. Rakovsky – Statesman, Politician, and Diplomat (1873-1941)” at the Institute of History of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences. The article considers Stanchev’s ties with the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, of which he was elected a foreign member in 2013, and his service as research director of the Marin Drinov Center for Bulgarian and Balkan Studies at V. N. Karazin Kharkiv National University and editor-in-chief of “The Drinov Collection,” which publishes materials of the international Drinov Readings held recurrently at Kharkiv National University. For his academic work, Stanchev has received the honorary award “For Services to the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences”, as well as the Drinov Gold Medal and Ribbon. Stanchev’s achievements in other areas, particularly government and diplomacy, are also discussed. Stanchev was elected deputy of the Kharkiv City Council and chaired the international department of the City Executive Committee, which was created on his initiative. In this position, he contributed to the development of Kharkiv’s international relations and helped attract foreign investment to the region. The article further touches on Stanchev’s service as first secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and head of the Department of Balkan Countries. Stanchev made a significant contribution to Ukrainian-Bulgarian relations as a temporary chargé d’affaires of Ukraine’s embassy in Bulgaria and political adviser, for which he was awarded the Golden Laurel Branch of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Bulgaria. In conclusion, the author expresses hope that Professor Stanchev will continue pursuing shared academic projects with the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences.