Novinite.com Readers Vote Bokova 'Bulgarian Personality of 2009', Borisov's Election Win 'News Story of 2009'

Chairman of UNESCO executive board, Beninese Olabiyi Babalola Joseph Ya (2-R) congratulates the new UNESCO Director General Irina Bokova of Bulgaria (2-L), Paris, France, 15 October 2009. Photo by EPA/BGNES

Bulgarian Director-General of UNESCO, Irina Bokova, has been selected as the “Bulgarian Personality of 2009” by the readers of Novinite.com (Sofia News Agency) beating Prime Minister Boyko Borisov by a narrow margin.

The Novinite.com readers have also voted the election win of the GERB party has been voted the event of 2009, while EC President Barroso is the most important international politician for Bulgaria, and the national volleyball team is the top sports achiever.

The readers of Novinite.com were able to submit their votes for Bulgaria’s personalities and events of 2009 over a period of six weeks – from November 20, 2009, until January 4, 2010, in the traditional annual poll of the largest Bulgarian English-language media. The 2009 voting categories included "Personality of Novinite.com 2009", "Champion of Novinite.com 2009", "News Story in Novinite.com 2009", International Politician with the Greatest Contribution to Bulgaria in 2009.

Novinite.com Readers Vote UNESCO Head Bokova 'Bulgarian Personality of 2009'

In the year when Bulgaria elected new MEPs, a new National Parliament, a new Sofia Mayor, and a new government was inaugurated, the largest number of votes of the Novinite.com readers went to Irina Bokova who in September 2009 was elected Director-General of UNESCO becoming not just the first Bulgarian but also the first woman and the first Eastern European to head the UN cultural organization, and the highest ranking Bulgarian in an international organization of all time.

During that period Irina Bokova was locked in a tough race with new Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borisov, and indeed Borisov was ahead with more votes than Bokova during the first four weeks of the poll. Bulgaria’s outgoing EU Commissioner Meglena Kuneva has remained on the third place.

The final results of the “Personality of Novinite.com 2009” Poll of Novinite.com show that Irina Bokova received 40,75% of the votes (546 votes), Boyko Borisov received 36,64% (491 votes), and Meglena Kuneva got 22,61% (303 votes). The final results are also available HERE.

Novinite.com Readers Select GERB Party Election Win as Bulgaria's Event of 2009

The readers of Novinite.com (Sofia News Agency) have selected the victory of Boyko Borisov’s GERB party in the July 2009 Parliamentary Elections as “News Story in Novinite.com 2009“.

The overwhelming election victory of GERB (Citizens for European Development of Bulgaria) and the forming of the new government led by its leader Boyko Borisov is clearly the most important event for Bulgaria in 2009 according to the readers of Novinite.com. The other events in the category – the Ohrid Lake Tragedy in which 15 Bulgarian tourists drowned in Macedonia, and the swine flu epidemic – are far behind.

The final results of “News Story in Novinite.com 2009” poll of Novinite.com (Sofia News Agency) are: GERB Party's victory in July Parliamentary Elections – 46,12% (392 votes); Ohrid Lake Tragedy – 30,82% (262 votes); Swine Flu Epidemic – 23,06% (196 votes). The final results are also available HERE.

Novinite.com Readers Vote EC Head Barroso Top Foreign Politician for Bulgaria in 2009

European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso is the International Politician with the Greatest Contribution to Bulgaria in 2009, according to the readers of Novinite.com (Sofia News Agency).

EC President Barroso has triumphed over the other contestants in the race – US President Barack Obama, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, French President Nicolas Sarkozy, and Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi.

Barroso’s win seems to be a testimony to the importance of the EU and its institutions for Bulgaria. The EC President was in the lead during the entire six weeks of the voting.

As President of the European Commission, Jose Manuel Barroso has unwaveringly supported reform efforts in Bulgaria in its quest to solve its post-EU accession problems. He is known to have been working well with both the former Bulgarian government of Sergey Stanishev and the new one of Boyko Borisov, aiding efforts which led to the unfreezing of most of Bulgaria's EU funds blocked in 2008. He has pushed for additional decommissioning aid for Bulgaria over the closure of the small Kozloduy NPP reactors, and has been active in preventing new crises with Russian gas supplies from which Bulgaria stands to be badly affected.

Even though US President Barack Obama has not come to Bulgaria yet, and has not been directly involved with any developments in the country, his overall impact on reducing the tension in international politics seems to have been enough for the readers of Novinite.com (Sofia News Agency) to select him as the second most important international politician for Bulgaria in 2009 after Barroso.

The third place in the race was really contested by the leaders of the two top EU powers - France and Germany. Eventually, the German Chancellor Angela Merkel grabbed the third spot in the Novinite.com poll by a very narrow margin over the French President Nicolas Sarkozy.

Despite being the only top foreign leader to visit Bulgaria in the second half of 2009 since the new Borisov government took over and declaring his falling in love with Bulgaria, Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi has remained last in the Novinite.com poll.

The final results of the "International Politician with the Greatest Contribution to Bulgaria in 2009" are: EC President Jose Manuel Barroso – 28,27% (333 votes); US President Barack Obama – 23,01% (271 votes); German Chancellor Angela Merkel – 19,78% (233 votes); French President Nicolas Sarkozy – 19,35% (228 votes); Italian PM Silvio Berlusconi – 9,59% (113 votes). The final results are also available HERE.

Novinite.com Readers Pick National Volleyball Team as Bulgaria's Top 2009 Sports Achiever

The readers of Novinite.com (Sofia News Agency) have selected the National Volleyball Team as the winner in the “Champion of Novinite.com 2009” category.

The National Volleyball Team proved to be Bulgaria's most successful national sports team in 2009 when was ranked fourth after Brazil, USA, and Russia in the annual ranking of the FIVB. In 2009, the Bulgarian volleyball nationals won the bronze medal in the European Championship in Turkey with 5 wins and 2 losses. Earlier in 2009 they ended 9th in the World Volleyball League.

The Bulgarian striker of Manchester United Dimitar Berbatov remained second in the race for popularity among the Novinite.com readers, and World Boxing Champion Detelin Dalakliev remained third.

The final results of the “Champion of Novinite.com 2009” poll of Novinite.com are: National Volleyball Team – 42,17% (396 votes); Dimitar Berbatov – 36,85% (346 votes); Detelin Dalakliev – 20,98% (197 votes). The final results are also available HERE.

 

The Team of Novinite.com would like to thank all of its readers who voted in our initiative to select the most deserving and successful individuals related to Bulgaria, and the most important event of 2009! The winners in the different categories will be awarded at a special ceremony to be announced.

We need your support so Novinite.com can keep delivering news and information about Bulgaria! Thank you!