Yulia Gurkovska

Yulia Grigorova Gurkovska (1945–2001), was a Bulgarian sailor and sound editor and, for a few years, the chief of staff of the country's President Zhelyu Zhelev.

Biography Yulia (sometimes spelled Julia and sometimes shortened to Dju) was born in Sofia, Bulgaria, on 7 June 1945 as the daughter of Grigor Gurkovski, secretary of the Bulgarian Agricultural People's Union who was arrested after the communist coup on 9 September 1944 and spent 11 years in a concentration camp.

Yulia Gurkovska graduated from the State Conservatory (1968) In his book, Idakiev described the trip: "The special thing about the sailing is that it is the first such tour of Europe in winter."

Yulia Gurkovska divorced Papazov in 1990, returning to her maiden name.

Gurkovska was a member of the Union of Bulgarian Filmmakers (SBFD) and for 22 years was a sound engineer at the "Vreme" Studio for Popular Science Films.

Political activist

Gurkovska participated in the dissident movement in Bulgaria as a member of the Public Committee for Environmental Protection of Ruse, the Club for Glasnost and Reconstruction and the Committee for National Reconciliation.

She served as the chief of staff to President Zhelyu Zhelev (1992–1996) and resigned after losing the primaries. After that, she was a member of the Management Board and program director of the Centre for Liberal Strategies in Sofia (1996–2001).

Gurkovska died of cancer on 4 December 2001.

Honors

In 1977, Yulia Gurkovska was awarded the Order of the People's Republic of Bulgaria, 1st degree. In 2016, by Decree of President Rosen Plavneliev, a bay in Antarctica was named after her.

Selected works She co-authored three books, "With Dju across the Atlantic" (1975), "With Dju across the Pacific Ocean" (1977), "Around the World With Yana" (1983).