Former Bulgarian Prime Minister Dimitar Popov died at the age of 88.

 

Serving between December 1990 and November 1991, Popov was the first prime minister not to be a member of the Bulgarian Communist Party (BKP) since 1946.

 

Born on 26 June 1927 in the town of Kula in northwestern Bulgaria, he graduated law at Sofia University in 1950 and then worked as a judge at the Sofia City Court (SGS) between 1972 and 1990.

 

Following the resignation of Andrey Lukanov in 1990, Popov was selected as prime minister due to his perceived impartiality and non-affiliation to any political party.

 

He headed the so-called "government of national unity", which was supported by the majority of the political parties.

 

As prime minister, he oversaw the drafting of the new constitution and the holding of the second democratic general elections in 1991.

 

In 1992 he ran in the presidential elections as a candidate of the Bulgarian National Democratic Party, garnering 0.64 % of the votes.