On February 3 in Rome suddenly died H. E. Mr. Camillo Zuccoli, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Sovereign Maltese Order in Bulgaria since 2007.

On February 8 in Sofia, the Apostolic Nuncio served a memorial liturgy for him in the Catholic cathedral "St. Joseph". The wife of His Excellency, Ursula, and their two children - Julio and Kostanza, as well as almost all the ambassadors accredited in Bulgaria, and many friends of his were present.

H. E. Mr. Camillo Zuccoli loved Bulgaria, but Bulgaria loved him too. After the opening of the Maltese Order Embassy in Sofia in 2005, he was the second ambassador of the Order accredited in Bulgaria. Thanks to his tireless work, generous heart and activity more than 460 humanitarian, hospital, social and educational initiatives were carried out in 177 different locations in Bulgaria. He was a great diplomat and a great man. Good husband and father.

May he rest in peace!

Born in Iseo in the province of Brescia in Italy on July 16 1957, Zuccoli had a very rich public life, that showed his high morality and his immutable loyalty to the noble ideals that he never betrayed.

In 1979, he was among the founders of the Italian committee in support of the election of Ronald Reagan as US President. In 1986, he was elected deputy secretary-general of the European People’s Party, at the time that Jacques Santer was secretary-general.

He was re-elected in 1990. From 1993 to 2001 he was Secretary and Head of the Cabinet of Emilio Colombo, President of the European Union of Christian-Democrats, former Prime Minister of Italy and former Minister of Foreign Affairs. During the 13th National Assembly he was the head of the political cabinet of Gustavo Selva, then chairman of the parliamentary group of the National Alliance in the Chamber of Deputies. His cooperation with Gustavo Selva continued during the time of the Foreign Affairs Committee headed by him in the Chamber of Deputies.

Zuccoli was the recipient of numerous honours and medals for merits from various countries.

The information and photographs are provided by the Embassy of the Sovereign Maltese Order in the Republic of Bulgaria.