Bulgarian Socialist Leader: Polls Turn Dramatically Sexy after Top Actor VP Nomination

Famous Bulgarian film and theater actor Stefan Danailov as a Minister of Culture in 2008. Photo by BGNES

The nomination of classic Bulgarian movie star Stefan Danailov as the Bulgarian Socialist Party's vice-presidential candidate for October 23 elections has made a dramatic impact, stated socialist leader Sergey Stanishev.

Danailov was enthusiastically voted Monday by a BSP assembly to be the running mate of socialist presidential hopeful, PES MEP Ivailo Kalfin.

Stefan Danailov, Bulgaria's Minister of Culture in the socialist-led coalition cabinet 2005-9, is known for his roles in emblematic movies before 1989, and most recently for being one of the leads in hit TV series “Staklen Dom” (“Glass Home”).

"He is the strongest VP candidate ever. Everyone knows who Stefan Danailov is - not only as an actor and person, but also as a statesman who always has a strong position in the most difficult of times," said a happy Stanishev Tuesday.

"He has his own principles and values. He is open for a different opinion but has never flinched an iota from what he believes," added the socialist leader and former Bulgarian PM.

Over the summer, Danailov was believed to be among the Bulgarian Socialist Party's most likely candidates for president, but has himself stated that he is not interested in running.

Apart from serving as a culture minister, Danailov is believed to have been instrumental in overcoming the negative stance of the Bulgarian Socialist Party on matters such as NATO membership.

Tuesday socialist leader Stanishev commented that while his party sees ruling center-right GERB as an especially strong rival, they do not believe the candidates tabled by GERB are adequate to the presidential institution.

"In the person of erstwhile Regional Development Minister Rosen Plevneliev we have someone who is just an agent of PM Boyko Borisov's will - and does not even hide that!" commented Stanishev.

He added that Minister of Justice Margarita Popova, who is Plevneliev's running mate, will have no way to contribute to the judicial reform as a VP, simply because the powers of the presidential institution in Bulgaria do not allow it.

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