site.btaGERB Leader Borissov Takes Helm of Sofia Party Chapter

GERB leader Boyko Borissov personally takes the helm of the Sofia chapter of his party, according to an announcement on the party's social media. It transpires there that 80% of the leadership of the local chapter in Sofia has been changed. 

The majority of the new team came from the youth organization of GERB. Borissov is quoted as telling the local leadership and coordinators that he relies on the energy and enthusiasm of young people in the party.

This development comes just over a month after the local elections, where the GERB candidate, Anton Hekimyan, emerged third in the first round of voting, sending to a runoff the nominees of Continue the Change - Democratic Bulgaria, Vassil Terziev, and of a Socialist coalition, Vanya Grigorova. GERB now has 14 members in the 61-seat Municipal Council in the capital city. 

Borissov blamed that result on "a large-scale campaign against the party in the past three years". He also said that "these elections were a punishment for the entire political class" but described GERB's results as "excellent against the backdrop of the other parties' performance".