Center-Right Rulers Face Socialists in Bulgaria Run-Offs

Voting began Sunday in Bulgaria's presidential and local election run-offs. Photo by Sofia Photo Agency

Bulgarians began voting on Sunday in local and presidential election run-offs amid expectations that the outcome will tighten the centre-right GERB's grip on power despite dismal economic conditions, allegations of violence and vote-buying.

A presidential run-off is held on Sunday across the country, pitting ruling GERB party's candidate, former popular regional development minister Rosen Plevneliev, against the nominee of the opposition Socialist Party, MEP and former Foreign Minister Ivaylo Kalfin.

Nearly 7 million registered voters will be able to cast their ballots for the new president until polling stations close at 7 pm (1700 GMT).

Nearly 6 million voters are eligible to cast their ballots in the local election contests in two thirds, or 173 out of 264, of Bulgarian municipalities and 831 villages, but the focus is squarely on the key battlegrounds of the second-biggest town of Plovdiv and the country's coastal capital Varna.

In Plovdiv, Ivan Totev, current district governor, nominated by the ruling center-right party GERB, is looking to unseat mayor Slavcho Atanasov, who received just 27.7.% of the first-round vote against his rival's 35.6%.

In Varna, incumbent mayor Kiril Yordanov, seeking a fourth term, will face off Vesselin Mareshki, a hyper ambitious and controversial Bulgarian businessman, founder and owner of a large low-cost drug store chain. Mareshki was nominated by an initiative committee for the first round of the elections, when he was supported by 18.58% of the voters.

The municipalities were forced into run-offs after none of the candidates got 50% of the vote in the first round on October 23.

18 of Bulgaria's 27 major regional cities hold run-offs on Sunday, with 11 of them pitting representatives of ruling GERB against the Bulgarian Socialist Party. Among the closest second rounds are expected to be those in Smolyan, Pleven, Vratsa, Razgrad, Vidin and Sliven.

In Smolyan, the failure of the incumbent Socialist mayor Dora Yankova to win outright at the first round came as a shock for her. Yankova, who is considered one of the most experienced mayors and vocal critics of the government, managed to get 41.33% of the votes at the first round. In the run-off she will face Nikolay Melemov, nominated by the ruling center-right Citizens for European Development of Bulgaria (GERB) party, who garnered last week 40.84% of the vote.

In Pleven a neck-to-neck run-off is very likely between incumbent mayor Nayden Zelenogorski, nominated by Bulgarian New Democracy, and Dimitar Stoykov – nominated by the ruling center-right GERB party. Zelenogorski is one of the very few right-wing politicians to have tasted the joy of re-election and runs in October for his fourth term as mayor of Pleven.

Zelenogorski faced an uphill struggle convincing the people he deserves reelection as local media had started fawning over his rival. The incumbent mayor garnered 29% of the votes during the first round of the elections against 33% for Dimitar Stoykov.

Ruling GERB party has made a good showing at the first round, winning some 38% of the overall vote, and grabbing at the first round the regional cities of Burgas, Gabrovo, Dobrich and capital Sofia, where incumbent Yordanka Fandakova was re-elected.

In a number of cities the GERB candidate has the better chances to win. In the northern town of Veliko Tarnovo for example Daniel Panov, candidate of the ruling GERB party will face off in the second round Nikolay Ilchev, candidate of the Bulgaran Socialist Party. The two runners managed to garner in the first round 33% and 23% of the votes respectively.

At places where the socialist candidate did not reach the run-off, the Socialist Party has urged its supporters to vote for the local rival of the GERB candidate.

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