Bulgarian Businessman Gergov Withdraws from Presidential Race

Former MP and BSP member, now leader of the movement 21, Tatyana Doncheva, claims she is the only person outside the party, who can collect enough votes to become Bulgaria's next President. Photo by Sofia Photo Agency

The businessman from Bulgaria's second largest city of Plovdiv, Georgi Gergov, had withdrawn his nomination to run for President on the ballot of the Bulgarian Socialist Party, BSP.

The news was reported Saturday by the Bulgarian daily Dnevnik, citing their own sources. Another nominee – Ivan Gaytandzhiev had also withdrawn.

The National Council of the opposition Bulgarian Socialist Party, BSP, is convening Saturday to decide on their nomination for the person to run for President.

Foreign Affairs Minister and now Member of the European Parliament, Ivaylo Kalfin, and the BSP Member of the Parliament, Yanaki Stoilov, are said to be the top contenders for the nomination.

The others who remain are: Presidential Advisor, Ivo Atanasov, BSP MP, Petar Korumbashev, former MP and BSP member, now leader of the movement 21, Tatyana Doncheva, lawyer, Georgi Bliznashki, former MEP, Atanas Paparizov, and the leader of BSP in the Sofia suburb of Bankiya, Stefan Vasilev.

The forum is also discussing the party's election platform, where it is written that the President of Bulgaria must be "active, leader of the unification of the nation, guarantor of democracy, and Statesman with a strategic vision for Bulgaria."

The document has a special section assessing the two terms of the former BSP leader, President, Georgi Parvanov, and Vice-President, Angel Marin, pointing out these two terms have demonstrated that the presidential institution can overcome party interests all while Parvanov had outlined national priorities and engaged other institutions with the real problems of Bulgarians.

"Our achievements oblige us to continue forward. Our candidate is the symbol of the hope Bulgaria could be better," the Socialists' platform reads.

The first tour of the secret vote is expected to begin around 2 pm Saturday.

Meanwhile, Tatyana Doncheva, stated for the media that in the last sixth months polls showed she had been ranked second as left-wing presidential candidate, after popular movie star, former Culture Minister and Socialist Member of the Parliament, Stefan Danailov, but BSP had been keeping this fact a secret.

Danailov already announced weeks ago he has no intentions to run for President.

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