Valko Chervenkov

Valko Chervenkov
Вълко Червенков
Chervenkov in 1953
34th Prime Minister of Bulgaria
In office 23 January 1950 – 18 April 1956 Acting to 3 February 1950
Preceded by	Vasil Kolarov
Succeeded by	Anton Yugov
Deputy Prime Minister of Bulgaria
In office 20 July 1949 – 3 February 1950
General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Bulgarian Communist Party
In office 15 July 1949 – 26 January 1954
Preceded by	Georgi Dimitrov
Succeeded by	Todor Zhivkov
Personal details
Born	(1900-09-06)6 September 1900 Zlatitsa, Principality of Bulgaria
Died	21 October 1980(1980-10-21) (aged 80) Sofia, People's Republic of Bulgaria
Political party	BCP (1919–1962, 1969-1980)
Spouse	Elena Dimitrova (sister of Georgi Dimitrov) (1902–1974)

Valko Velyov Chervenkov^[1] (Bulgarian: Вълко Вельов Червенков) (6 September 1900 – 21 October 1980) was a Bulgarian communist politician. He served as leader of the Communist Party between 1949 and 1954, and Prime Minister between 1950 and 1956.

His rule was marked by the consolidation of the Stalinist model, rapid industrialisation, collectivisation and large-scale persecution of political opponents.

Stalin's death in 1953 had repercussions in Bulgaria. In 1954, Chervenkov accepted the Soviet model of collective leadership and handed over his post as party leader to Todor Zhivkov. The government also released a large number of political prisoners and directed its economic policy towards improving living standards rather than accelerating industrialization.