In brief
The second‑round presidential election was held on Sunday in Bulgaria, with incumbent President Iliana Iotova pairing with Kiril Valchev and challenger Andrey Gurov running with Georgi Kandev, and about 6.6 million eligible voters casting ballots. The vote took place in Sofia, and the turnout was close to the total number of eligible voters. Bulgarian MP Ivaylo Mirchev, after voting, called for a pro‑European president who would defend national interests, a claim reported only by BTA.
Bulgaria held a second‑round presidential and vice‑presidential election on Sunday 1 November in Sofia, as nearly 6.6 million eligible voters went to the polls to decide between incumbent President Iliana Iotova with vice‑president Kiril Valchev and challenger Andrey Gurov with Georgi Kandev.
According to Xinhua, the runoff was the decisive vote for Bulgaria’s next five‑year presidency, with the pairs of candidates for president and vice‑president running on the same ballot.
The election was marked by a high level of activity in the hours before voting, as reported by BTA, where local officials noted numerous reports of vote‑buying attempts in Lovech, Dobrich, Stara Zagora and Burgas, involving businesspeople and individuals linked to those in power.
MP Ivaylo Mirchev, after casting his ballot, said he had voted for a free, European and democratic Bulgaria, and for a president unafraid to put the national interest first, a statement reported only by BTA.
"I had voted for a free, European and democratic Bulgaria, and for a president unafraid to put the national interest first, who would not carry out the wishes of dictators or shy away from taking a stand," said Mirchev.
