During the communist period, Bakardzhiev received an education in a technical field, specializing in Industrial and Civil Construction.[3]
In the 1990s, following the beginning of the democratic transition, he entered politics as part of the Bulgarian Agrarian National Union "Nikola Petkov" (Bulgarian: Българския земеделски народен съюз „Никола Петков") and later became an influential member of the UDF, characterized as being among the "third wave" politicians in the party. Bakardzhiev was a deputy in the 38th and 39th National Parliaments.[2]
In November 2001, following criticisms leveled at the UDF leadership, he was expelled from the party. On 1 December 2001, Bakardzhiev established the Bulgarian Democratic Union "Radicals" (Bulgarian: Български демократичен съюз "Радикали").[5]
Bakardzhiev was married three times. In addition to his native Bulgarian, he was conversant in Russian and English.[3]
He was particularly responsible for the destruction of the Georgi Dimitrov Mausoleum in Sofia.[6][7] As he claimed, he made this from the bottom of his heart, because this building played highly divisive role amongst the nation.[8]