Bulgarians will elect their new president in a run-off vote Sunday and, at least according to a modified promise from Prime Minister Boyko Borisov, the fate of the government. Ahead of the November 6 first-round vote, Borisov said that he will resign, probably triggering snap elections halfway through his 4-year term, if the nominee of his conservative GERB party, Tsetska Tsacheva, does not win the most votes. Tsacheva did not, as she surprisingly came in second, behind reserve General Rumen Radev, a non-affiliate backed by the opposition Socialist Party. He collected 25.44 and she 21.96 per cent of the votes.
Borisov backtracked, partially, after the results came in Sunday, promising again to resign, but only if Tsacheva loses the second round and the election. He said that he did not want to create turmoil in the week between the two rounds.
On Wednesday, Interior Minister Rumyana Bachvarova told Nova TV that while Tsacheva “has a good chance” of winning, her defeat would definitely trigger the fall of the government.
“Pegging her success to the survival of the government was not a mistake, it was an act of responsibility,” Bachvarova said.
Full Article: PREVIEW Bulgarian presidential run-off to determine fate of government By Elena Lalova and Boris Babic, dpa | EUROPE ONLINE.