Bulgaria's Main Presidential Hopefuls Shun Debate with Rivals

Tsetska Tsacheva and Rumen Radev, the candidates of Bulgaria's two biggest parties, have failed to appear at yet another debate just days before the presidential elections on Sunday.

After not attending a debate hosted by private broadcaster NOVA, which was to bring together a bigger number of candidates, the two also missed the Bulgarian National Television's Referendum program, in which seven candidates were to clash on Tuesday evening. Instead, only nationalist-backed Krasimir Karakachanov, the Reformist Bloc's Traycho Traykov, DPS-backed ex-PM Plamen Oresharski, ABV's Ivaylo Kalfin, and Movement 21's Tatyana Doncheva.

Both main contenders' headquarters have also declined to take part in a debate on Wednesday hosted by bTV, one of the other two private TV stations in Bulgaria.

Radev told bTV earlier he would not be attending due to Tsacheva's decision to keep away from the debate.

Tsacheva, nominated by main ruling party GERB, and Radev, endorsed by the main opposition party BSP, faced each other in October, with no other candidates present.

Polling agencies have all awarded them the first and second spot in the first round on November 06, respectively, predicting a tight race in the runoff.

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