BULGARIA: Candidates vote in Bulgarian Presidential elections

Bulgarians trickled out to vote on Sunday (October 22) in elections expected to hand President Georgi Parvanov a second five-year term and help the ruling Socialists consolidate power ahead of European Union entry in 2007. But, with many voters despondent over continuing poverty and the slowness of reforms, low turnout looked set to force him into a runoff with Volen Siderov, a nationalist whose xenophobic Attack Party has fought against EU entry. The state electoral committee said only 6.5 percent of the electorate had cast their ballots by mid-morning. That was in line with polls forecasting a turnout of around 40 percent. If turnout is below 50 percent, a runoff between the top two candidates is automatically required a week later. Parvanov, the stately former head of the ex-communist Socialist Party, has won admiration from many in the Black Sea country of 7.8 million for raising its profile abroad on the way to joining the NATO alliance in 2004 and the EU next year. After casting his vote on Sunday morning, he underlined his belief in the importance of Bugarians turning out to vote. "In any case, I hope the voters will be active enough, there is a motivation for this - the choice is important - not for the candidates or the parties supporting them but for Bulgaria, our nation, and I think nobody should allow somebody else to make a decision for him," he said. Analysts say Parvanov has used his limited powers, which include the ability to veto laws and appoint cabinets, to become one of the country's most influential figures. He is seen as the architect of the ruling coalition and the guiding hand keeping the Socialists and their centrists and ethnic-Turkish partners together since divisive 2005 polls. Although he casts himself as non-partisan, experts say his ties to the Socialists will boost their power if he wins. Parvanov's critics say he has failed to push successive cabinets to clamp down on high-level corruption and organised crime, and to raise living standards that will be the EU's lowest, with average wages of 160 euros ($202) a month. Former constitutional court head Nedelcho Beronov, accompanied by his wife, cast his vote at another polling station in Sofia on Sunday. Afterwards, he told journalists that he believed Europe was important to the future of Bulgaria. "I voted for the European future of Bulgaria and I am confident that we can speed up this integration and make it with dignity for Bulgaria," he said. Volen Siderov, a former journalist, has tapped into the discontent with inflammatory rhetoric against Bulgaria's minorities and a pledge to organise referendums on policy issues including Washington's plans to use military bases in Bulgaria and Bulgaria's participation in international organisations. "I voted for an authority that will have the courage to wipe out the corrupt politicians, Bulgarophobes, to ask for punishment of all those responsible for the genocide against the Bulgarian people," he said after voting in another polling station in Sofia. An October 19 survey by the state polling agency NPOC indicated the 49-year-old Parvanov had 50.5 percent support. Siderov was far behind with 23 percent. In third, with 18 percent, was Beronov, the most popular candidate from Bulgaria's fragmented right-of-centre opposition, . Balloting ends at 1600 GMT. First exit polls are expected at 1630 GMT, and partial official results shortly after.

ITN Source | October 22, 2006

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