Bulgaria Socialist Presidential Runner: Say No to State Monopoly!

Socialist Ivaylo Kalfin (pictured) will face Rosen Plevneliev, backed by the center-right ruling party GERB, in a run-off next Sunday. Photo by Sofia Photo Agency

Socialist Ivaylo Kalfin, the second-ranked runner in Bulgaria's presidential race, has warned of a looming monopoly over all state institutions in the hands of the ruling center-right party.

"We entered the presidential race to win, to prevent the risk of a monopoly of all state institutions into the hands of one man," Kalfin said, referring to Prime Minister Boyko Borisov.

Kalfin said that he and co-runner actor Stefan Danailov have every chance to emerge as winners in the second round and urged Bulgarians to vote in the upcoming run-off next Sunday.

"One million Bulgarians voted for us. Your vote for us is our obligation. We are fighting against arrogance, stratification of the people, demise of small and medium-sized enterprises. The president should be a guarantee for the democracy and rule of law in the country."

"We will fight for a free, democratic, European country. Bulgaria needs a better face in the European Union. It has never had such an impersonal position in Europe on all issues, which concern it. And believe me the prime minister provokes only condescending smiles in Europe," Kalfin said, referring to the prime minister's down to earth language.

Bulgaria's former construction minister Rosen Plevneliev from the center-right party GERB of PM Boyko Borisov emerged as the leader in Sunday's presidential elections.

However, Plevneliev failed to win outright and avoid a runoff in a week in Sunday's vote, whose turnout reached 47% first polls results show.

He has been forced into a second round with Ivaylo Kalfin, a former Foreign Minister from the opposition Socialist Party, who won 26.8 % of the votes.

The result comes as no surprise as all polls had said that none of the 18 presidential candidates would manage to get more than 50% of the vote, and a runoff will be required on Oct. 30.

Plevneliev garnered 41.4% of the votes, according to Gallup polls, released by private bTV channel immediately after the last polling station closed at 7 p.m.

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