Bulgaria: presidential election, outgoing president Radev re-elected. “The country on its way to development and modernisation”

(from Sofia) The success of the outgoing president, Radev, at the run-off of yesterday’s presidential election in Bulgaria, has been a predictable victory. According to the Central Election Committee, after counting 99.82% of the votes, Radev received 66.7% of them, while his opponent Anastas Gerdzikov, rector of the University of Sofia, received 31.8%. The turnout was even lower than on the first round, which had been combined with the general election: 24.1%. Central to the political campaign was the fight against corruption, a key issue in the EU’s poorest country. The winner stated that “the new Parliament is not entitled to make mistakes” and urged to “form a sound political majority, which must instantly reform the judiciary system, fight the social and economic crisis that will already be arriving this winter, wipe out the Covid pandemic, and do not give in to national interests”. “It is a victory of reason and of the desire for lawfulness and justice – Radev added –. There’s still a lot to be done, but Bulgaria is getting out of deadlock and autocracy, and is on its way to development, freedom and modernisation”.
Valentina Bombelli