Plevneliev Officially Awarded Bulgarian 'President-Elect' Certificate

Bulgaria's outgoing president Georgi Parvanov (R), his successor Rosen Plevneliev (C) and vice president-elect Margarita Popova (L) during Thursday's ceremony. BGNES

Rosen Plevneliev, the presidential candidate endorsed by Bulgaria's ruling centrist-right GERB, officially received a certificate confirming he is the country's president-elect.

"I wish Bulgaria will cope with dignity in the face of the upcoming difficult months," Plevneliev said upon receiving the certificate by the Bulgarian Central Electoral Commission on Thursday.

"Bulgaria voted for its European development," he added.

"I hand over the presidential office with a feeling of accomplishment," Georgi Parvanov, Bulgaria's outgoing president, declared during the ceremony that took place in the National Assembly building in downtown Sofia.

Parvanov further stated that he was satisfied with his successor's will to develop and build on what the previous presidents have achieved.

The president elect is to meet with Zhelyu Zhelev and Petar Stoyanov, the first and the second democratically elected Bulgarian presidents respectively.

Rosen Plevneliev became the fourth democratically-elected president of Bulgaria on Sunday, October 30, 2011, as he gathered approximately 53% of the votes in the runoff. He will be inaugurated on January 21, 2012.

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