Presidential vote in Bulgaria could herald closer Russia ties

[poiuytrewq0987]

Bulgarians began voting on Sunday to choose the country’s next president in a highly contested election that could trigger political instability in the Black Sea state and push it towards closer ties with Russia.

Opinion polls show Tsetska Tsacheva, 58, the center-right GERB ruling party candidate, is likely to narrowly win the ballot but lose a subsequent runoff to Rumen Radev, 53, a Socialist Party ally who wants to end European Union sanctions against Moscow.

"The vote on Sunday will show whether we have the right to rule the country in the next two years," Prime Minister Boiko Borisov, GERB's leader, told supporters at the close of the campaign.

If Tsacheva does lose, Radev's Socialists and other opposition groupings could try to unseat the GERB party's minority government and trigger early parliamentary elections, observers say.

That would lead to months of political uncertainty and a further slowdown in reforms, much needed after the collapse of Bulgaria's fourth-largest bank and massive anti-corruption protests that helped GERB win parliamentary elections in 2014.

Public disappointment over the progress of reform eroded support for GERB, while Tsacheva is seen as lacking the charisma of Prime Minister Borisov.

"My choice is General Radev because he is a man of honor, who will work to revive the Bulgarian army and he will not be a servant of foreign countries," Georgi Danailov, 74, a retired military officer, said after casting his ballot in the Sofia district of Mladost.

Voting started at 7 a.m. local time (0500 GMT) and polls close at 8 p.m.

Latest opinion polls showed parliament speaker Tsacheva winning with 27.2 to 26.3 percent of the vote, against Radev's 22.5 to 23.1 percent.

moreatlink: http://www.reuters.com/article/us-bu...-idUSKBN131001

[Linebacker]

I voted for nobody.

Dried up pathetic commies,they almost had a heart attack while debating.

I'd sooner vote Hillary as Bulgarian president.

[poiuytrewq0987]

I voted for nobody.

Dried up pathetic commies,they almost had a heart attack while debating.

I'd sooner vote Hillary as Bulgarian president.

That's not very smart; it's better to vote for somebody that you don't like but find acceptable. That said, I don't blame you. If I were voting in this Bulgarian presidential election, I probably would also be discouraged by the choices presented. I don't think Tsacheva is presidential material. And Radev is a cruel joke. I'd probably just vote for Karakachanov since it would be nice to have a top politician that puts importance toward crafting a proper Macedonian foreign policy. His past is a little murky, however. He used to be a communist informer so he may be just an agitator like Zhirinovsky than a serious politician.

In the U.S., I don't particularly like either politician and the third party choices are a joke. I voted for Trump anyhow since a Hillary presidency would be a disaster. What you could do is vote for somebody that won't result in a catastrophe, and then work toward creating better choices for the next election. That's the smart thing to do.

[Linebacker]

I don't think Tsacheva is presidential material.

She is barely even human material.

Look at this thing,who in their right mind wants that to walk around the world and represent our nation

[poiuytrewq0987]

She is barely even human material.

Look at this thing,who in their right mind wants that to walk around the world and represent our nation

She's not very attractive, yes, and she does not seem to take care of herself too well. She reminds me of many Macedonians with bad teeth and overall physique. Borisov probably only selected her because she's a woman.

[Shkembe Chorba]

Representatives of the country should not be chosen by their attractiveness, but by their long distance from Eurasian capital Unfortunately, both are same as close.

Govt going down then winter protests whatever the new ruling formation is shaped.

Hope so. But probably nothing would happen. Just like the last 15 years.

[Archduke]

Radev definitely has more representative look than Tsacheva - he finished American university, worked in NATO, but unfortunately the most cruel communists are behind him. Tsacheva is just another puppet of Borisov and shes red in her bones. This sunday I dont know which one to choose. Its better for the country to not have only one rulling party, yet I have some feeling that Tsacheva might be the less evil from both...