Professor Dobri Yarkov, rector of the Thracian University in Stara Zagora, reportedly drew a sword from its sheath and waved it during one of the events commemorating the university’s 30th anniversary, joking that he would “cut off heads.” Rumors of this behavior spread rapidly within the university, especially since Yarkov had performed the same sword scene in front of Vice-Rector Emil Slavov. The incident supposedly occurred after Slavov refused to resign voluntarily, which led Yarkov to verbally threaten him before the Academic Council voted on his dismissal during a grotesque meeting.
What caused Dobri Yarkov to lose his temper can only be speculated by himself.
However, colleagues suspect that the reason may be that he is approaching retirement.
On June 2, Yarkov turns 65, and according to the Higher Education Act, his term would automatically end on that date. Yet, from his actions—he is currently visiting China—there appears to be no intention to vacate the rector’s office.
He is under strict protection and separated from the other lecture halls and offices by a corridor that, according to staff (author’s note), is kept permanently locked.
Professor Yarkov prematurely terminated his first term as rector by resigning but on the very same day, he nominated himself again at the General Assembly for a second term. Thus, in violation of the law and without any other candidates for the position, he secured his stay as rector for another four years.
And if two years ago the General Assembly was convened immediately, now that has not happened. Because at that meeting, a rector should have been elected to complete the current term, which expires in 2027.
When asked for comment, the chairman of the General Assembly, Professor Dimitar Petkov, clearly had no convincing explanation for why he did not convene the meeting and only said that everyone would find out when it finally happens.
Before “Za Istinata” (“For the truth”) Professor Ivan Stankov—former rector of Thracian University and former Minister of Agriculture, now head of the Board of Trustees at the university—hesitantly explained that it was not his duty to call the General Assembly. When reminded that two years ago, the idea to do so was initiated by the trustees, the professor vagueIy responded that the decision at that time was not his but of Dobri Yarkov. He added that he has tried several times to gather the Board members but has been unsuccessful because he cannot meet with the rector. However, the law clearly states that the Board of Trustees must meet at least once every three months and can be convened by the chairperson, at the request of any member or the rector of the university.
During the conversation, Professor Stankov expressed concern that the university could fall into a state of limbo if a temporary acting rector is not quickly appointed.
“I am surprised by many things. Professor Yarkov and I worked together for eight years; he is undoubtedly an organizer, but in an academic environment, there should be no tension. You can’t run an institution through fear and obedience, because that dehumanizes the faculties,” said Stankov.
He also questioned the quality of the so-called “offshore” or “transferred” education, which involves significant spending: “It’s unacceptable for lecturers to be running from Gotse Delchev to Silistra with a suitcase in hand when all the training infrastructure is here,” commented the former rector.
The well-known physics teacher, Teodosi Teodosiev, who is also a member of the Board of Trustees, stated that he has enough work to be interested in the intrigues at the university:
“There, where there is a lot of money—and Thracian University has a budget larger than that of the Kazanlak municipality—there are also many interests and intrigues. However, at the meetings of the Board of Trustees, we mainly discuss other issues related to the educational process,” said Teodosi Teodosiev.
Teodosi Teodosiev argues that a rector must primarily be a businessman to ensure the development of the university.
However, in the specific case, it is even more important how and for what purposes the funds allocated to the university by the state and various programs and projects are spent, whether there is wastefulness, and if there are any abuses related to these finances.
A thorough financial audit after Professor Yarkov’s retirement could reveal how funds allocated to the university by the state and various programs are being spent, whether there is waste, and if any abuses have occurred.
However, this depends on whom Education Minister Krasimir Valchev will appoint as interim rector until the General Assembly holds elections for a new rector. If he chooses Professor Darina Zaimova—one of the three remaining deputy rectors from Yarkov’s team and reportedly his favorite, according to colleagues—she would likely be responsible for organizing the entire selection process.
If she decides to run, she will probably try to secure a majority of votes, which would be unlikely in a fair competition.
These suspicions are grounded in past practices regarding the appointment of university leadership.
The big question is what the academic community prefers: to elect their rector themselves or have him appointed directly? It appears that the latter will happen. To narrow the pool of candidates considered by the minister, Yarkov reportedly pressured Professor Rumen Binev to voluntarily resign as deputy rector. Binev did so, and emotionally, he has been devastated by the situation.
He was also so affected that he asked us not to press for any further conversation on this matter for now.
In the same blunt manner, the rector also dismissed Professor Ilya Tzachev when he turned 65. This was despite the fact that this year, Tzachev was elected as a corresponding member of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences and is the only scientist at the university with a groundbreaking discovery in the field of zoonoses of international significance.
On June 10, the District Court in Stara Zagora will hear, in a second appeal, the case regarding the disciplinary dismissal of Associate Professor Lazar Lazarov, former dean of the Veterinary Medical Faculty. The case was initially lost by the university.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Science and Education continues to shame itself as an institution.
Additionally, the second report by Associate Professor Lazarov accusing Dobri Yarkov of plagiarism, which he submitted to Minister Krasimir Valchev, apparently has not been reviewed by the Academic Ethics Committee, as the legal deadline has expired—unless the minister extended it by another month.
Which seems unlikely given the close relationship between the rector and the minister, who is a deputy from the Stara Zagora electoral district.
Even if Dobri Yarkov leaves Thracian University with the academic rank of “professor,” he will remain a controversial figure within academic circles. To that community, he will simply be regarded as a plagiarist.
