Bulgarian Right Wing Leader Firmly out of Presidential Race

The leader of the Bulgarian right-wing DSB party, Ivan Kostov, says he understands the right – wing coalition is more important than party interests. Photo by BGNES

The leader of the Bulgarian right-wing Democrats for Strong Bulgaria, DSB, party, Ivan Kostov, declared Friday he was not disappointed by the fact he had not been nominated to enter the presidential race.

In an interview for the TV channel TV7, Kostov said he agrees with the leader of the other right-wing party – Union of Democratic Forces, UDF, and his Blue Coalition partner, Martin Dimitrov, who said the DSB Chair is not suitable for President because he had been a "war horse for too long."

Kostov pointed out his party understands the Blue Coalition is more important than party interests and accepts the UDF desire for political revival and consolidation, adding DSB held a number of debates about the profile of their candidate, and preliminary elections will be held within branches that failed to reach an agreement.

The right-wing leader explained an address for the voters is to be issued, stating the Blue Coalition is going to the elections united and wishing to attract other formations from the political right.

Regarding the nomination of Svetoslav Malinov, Kostov said a vote of the National Council on May 14 is to make the final decision.

Other right-wing nominations include Veselin Metodiev, Ivan Ivanov, and Asen Agov, all of whom are yet to say yes on being on the ballot.

Kostov firmly dismissed any possibility that the presidential bid of Bulgaria's first European Commissioner, Meglena Kuneva, will be supported by the two main opposition parties together – the Bulgarian Socialist Party, BSP, and the ethnic Turkish Movement for Rights and Freedoms, DPS, saying her platform would trigger objections, though different, from both formations.

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