Key Week in Bulgaria’s Presidential Race as Parliamentary Parties Decide Which Candidates to Back

This is a crucial week for the presidential race, during which—in addition to the official announcement of the initiative committees that will nominate candidates for 2 Dondukov Street—it will also become clear which parliamentary parties will support which ticket. Just minutes ago, it was announced that GERB will not field candidates for president and vice president in the October 25 election.

This is a key week in the presidential race. In addition to the official announcement of the initiative committees that will nominate candidates for the presidency, it will also become clear which candidate ticket each parliamentary party will support. Earlier today, September 8, it was announced that GERB will not nominate candidates for President and Vice President in the 25 October elections.

• GERB will not nominate candidates for president and vice president in the October 25 election

At 17:00 today, the formation of the initiative committee that will nominate Iliana Iotova and Kiril Valchev as candidates for President and Vice President in the upcoming 25 October elections will be announced.

Iotova presented Kiril Valchev’s candidacy on 3 September and announced at the time that the initiative committee would be established. According to her, it will include representatives of civil society and non-governmental organisations, political parties and prominent figures in their respective fields who support the pair. So far, Iotova has received the backing of the Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) and Progressive Bulgaria.

There is still no official decision from Democratic Bulgaria and We Continue the Change on whether they will support the presidential ticket of Andrey Gyurov and Georgi Kandev.

This morning, representatives of MECH (morality, Unity, Honour) submitted documents to the Central Election Commission (CEC) to register the party for participation in the elections for President and Vice President of the Republic of Bulgaria.

Radostin Vasilev, MECH chairman: “5,000 signatures have been collected by the party’s local organisations. Today marks the start of another campaign for us. Although we are outside Parliament, we have not changed. The main principle that guides us in politics is truth. The truth and the voice of the people must be heard increasingly clearly from the presidency. It may sound rather presumptuous, but that is because this institution gives the president access to the hearts of all Bulgarians.”

Photos: BNT, BTA

So far, six parties and four initiative committees have registered with the CEC. The draw to determine the order in which the candidates appear on the ballot for the ballot numbers will take place on 23 September. The official presidential election campaign will begin on 25 September.