site.bta United Patriots to Take No Sides in Presidential Run-Off

United Patriots to Take No Sides in Presidential Run-Off

Sofia, November 9 (BTA) - The United Patriots coalition issued a statement on Wednesday saying they leave it up to their supporters to decide which of the two presidential candidates to back in the second round of the presidential elections this Sunday.

The United Patriots, comprising the Patriotic Front and Ataka, had their own presidential nominee in the first round, Krassimir Karakachanov, who placed third after winning about 15 per cent of the vote. The run-off second round will be contested by top-placed Rumen Radev, an independent supported by the Bulgarian Socialist Party, and runner-up Tsetska Tsacheva, nominated by the ruling GERB.

In their statement the United Patriots thanked their members and supporters for their trust in Karakachanov and his vice-presidential running mate Yavor Notev. "These 600,000 Bulgarians showed that Bulgaria's future lies in patriotism," the coalition said.

It noted that the results of the presidential elections make it incumbent on the United Patriots to implement their political programme, whose main points are: keeping the Movement for Rights and Freedoms and other "ethnic parties" from returning to power; increasing the minimum monthly pension to 300 leva; and pushing back illegal immigrants. "Since none of the other candidates for president have declared that they support the above-mentioned principles, we leave it up to our supporters to vote in the second round as they choose," the statement said.

"Our coalition continues to struggle for a united, independent and prosperous Bulgaria," it said.