Corresponding member Professor Alexandar Yankov

Professor Alexander Yankov was awarded the honorary degree of Doctor Honoris Causa of BFU on September 5th 1999 at an official meeting of the Academic Council of BFU.

Prof. Alexander Yankov is a prominent jurist, one of the founders of the Bulgarian Association for International Law (1962) and its President since 1982. President of the Bulgarian Association for International Relations since 1994. He is also a judge in the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea in Hamburg (1996-2011).

Prof. Alexander Yankov was born on 22 June 1924 in Burgas. Graduate in Law at Sofia University "St. Kliment Ohridski", specialized in International Law in Hague. In 1964 he became Candidate of Legal Studies. Since 1973 he is a professor in the Chair of International Law and International Relations at Sofia University and its Chairman in the period 1980 – 1989. Since 1981 professor Yankov is a corresponding member of Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (BAS) and during 1988-1989 he is the Chairman of the Section of International Law and International Relations in the Institute for the State and Law at BAS. In 1988 – 1991 he is Deputy Chairman of BAS; in 1989 – 1990 he has been a Chairman of the Committee of Science and Higher Education. From 1972 to 1976 he is the Ambassador of Bulgaria in the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland. In the period 1976 – 1980 he has been a permanent representative of Bulgaria in the United Nations in New York. He is a member of UN Commission of International Law in Geneva 1977 -1996, Member of the Permanent Court of Arbitration in Hague (1971-1988). Since October 1996 professor Yankov is a Member of the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea in Hamburg.

Prof. Alexander Yankov is a Member of the American Society of International Law in Washington since 1966; since 1968 he is a Member of the International Law Association in Londo,n as well as a member of its Executive body; since 1982 he is a Member of the French Association of International Law in Paris; Member of the International Ocean Institute in Malta since 1969, and its Vice – Chairman since 1995; Member of the International Law Institute in Brussels since 1979.

Prof. Yankov is the representative of Bulgaria in several International organizations and conferences – the United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of the Sea-Bed and its Deputy Chairman (1968-1973); Chair of the Eight IMO Assembly in 1973-1974 in London; the Third UN Conference on the Law of the Sea and Chair of the Third Committee in all sessions from 1973 to 1982, where the Conference ended with adoption of unique and complete UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.

Prof. Yankov has been a Member of the IX National Assembly (1986-89) and in the VII Great National Assembly (1990-91).

Prof. Yankov has been awarded with the state order of Saints Cyril and Methodius, First class, People's Republic of Bulgaria, Frist class and others.