Bulgaria's Kuneva Vows 'No Endorsement' for President Runoff

Bulgaria's presidential candidate, first and now-ex-Bulgarian EU Commissioner, Meglena Kuneva (l) and her running mate, Lyubomir Hristov, give a press conference after the closing of the polls on October 23. Photo by BGNES

Meglena Kuneva, Bulgaria's presidential candidate, who ended third in the October 23 race, reiterated Tuesday that she was not going to endorse any of the two remaining runners who will face each other Sunday.

Kuneva, the first and now-ex-Bulgarian EU Commissioner, formerly from the party of ex King and Prime Minister, Simeon Saxe-Coburg, National Movement for Stability and Prosperity, NMSP, ran as independent.

In an official statement, she appeals to the election headquarters of the two candidates, their commentators and media that favors them to stop all "attempts to manipulate voters, and her and her running mate, Lyubomir Hristov's clearly voiced position."

"We cannot endorse a candidate for third term in office for the Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) nor Prime Minister, Boyko Borisov's candidate to overtake all power in the country," the letter reads, pointing out to tell Bulgarians how to vote is a sign of disrespect and lack of trust in their intelligence and in their capability to make their own choice.

According to Kuneva and Hristov, after all theories for their ties with the ruling Citizens for European Development of Bulgaria party (GERB), with BSP, with current President, Georgi Parvanov (former leader of the Socialists), and with the ethnic Turkish Movement for Rights and Freedoms (DPS), now new, and also made-up, theories for upcoming projects and financial-intellectual circles have emerged.

"We proved that we do not have plan B or hidden faces, but we also proved that our organization and financing are fully transparent and public. For this reason half million Bulgarians cast a ballot for us. Don't attempt to twist their voice," the letter concludes.

Kuneva further promises to give full assessment of the presidential and local elections next week in order to not influence the runoff.

Former Minister of Regional Development and Public Works, Rosen Plevneliev, and his running mate, Justice Minister on leave, Margarita Popova, nominated by GERB, will face Sunday the candidates of the opposition, left-wing Socialist party, Ivaylo Kalfin, who is a former Foreign Affairs Minister in the Socialist-led Three-Way Coalition cabinet and a current Member of the European Parliament, and his running mate, former Culture Minister from the BSP quota and movie star, Stefan Danailov.

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