site.btaBulgaria’s Leaders and Politicians Vote for Parliament: Here Is What They Said

Following is a sound-bite of what Bulgaria’s leaders and politicians said as they voted in the Sunday snap parliamentary elections:

National Assembly Chair Nazaryan said that Bulgaria needs security, stability and justice more than ever. "These results can be achieved with a regular and successful government that can meet citizens' expectations for prosperity and development, as well as the challenges we face in the country and the world every day," said Nazaryan. "I voted for the responsible political formation that has proven that it can form regular and successful governments with a full mandate," Nazaryan pointed out.

President Rumen Radev said that "voting is what matters most today".  He commented: "We all want to see an end to this grueling marathon of perpetual elections. But in order to have a steady and viable parliament and not just a regular government but an effective regular government capable of making bold decisions and leading the nation to achieve goals of national significance, it is important that the two institutions, the parliament and the government, have the necessary credibility. We all know that their credibility comes from mass, solid civil participation in the elections. Therefore, I call on the Bulgarians to vote." He urged everyone to take a few minutes' time in the remaining hours to go to the polls.

Vice President Iliana Iotova expressed hope that after the elections there will be a strong political government. Whether it will be made up of several formations will be decided by the political forces that will be part of the National Assembly, she added. She sees a chance of forming a regular government, with some negotiations, a clear programme and above all strong leaders. "When a society needs to come out of a crisis, it needs strong leaders, not people who are yet unknown," she commented regarding the proposed idea for a prime minister equidistant from the parties.

After casting his vote in the early parliamentary elections on Sunday, caretaker Prime Minister Dimitar Glavchev said he voted "for a European and stable Bulgaria, a stable government." He expressed hope that these elections will not be followed immediately by another vote. "Everyone is tired of endless elections, especially voters," he noted. Asked by a reporter whether he is willing to serve again as caretaker prime minister if the new National Assembly fails to elect a regular cabinet, Glavchev said: "I have stated on more than one occasion that our government will stand for as long as necessary. "

GERB leader Boyko Borissov said that his campaign tour, which covered all of Bulgaria's regional capitals as well as many small villages, showed that "the people want a government, security, stability." Asked about the chance of a regular government emerging after the elections, he said: "We've not only shown what we have done and what we will do, but also how we will do it. We have published our governance programme, so we have given those who want security and stability an opportunity to vote for it."

The leader of the Union of Democratic Forces (UDF), Rumen Hristov, said, "We are voting once again, but this time we hope to vote for a regular government that will ensure stability and security for Bulgaria.” He spoke about the importance of completing the construction of a regional road in northwestern Bulgaria (where he voted). He said that education is also very important from the point of view of the lack of middle-class personnel. He stressed that he voted for a better life for all Bulgarian citizens.

Continue the Change-Democratic Bulgaria co-chair Kiril Petkov said that he voted for the continuation of the policy to increase incomes and pensions, for young families to have a chance to raise their children in Bulgaria, for young people who want to stay in Bulgaria to study, for health care without additional payments, for the continuation of the anti-corruption policy. Petkov expressed hope that this would happen with a government proposed according to their formula, namely a prime minister equidistant from the parties. 

After casting his vote via machine in Sunday's early parliamentary elections, Continue the change - Democratic Bulgaria (CC-DB) Co-chair Atanas Atanasov said that  he voted for a strong Bulgaria in a united Europe. "I want us to work together for the creation of a regular authority, which has the main priority of transparent and fair spending of the money of the Bulgarian citizens, " Atanasoiv said. 

Vazrazhdane leader Kostadin Kostadinov (having voted by machine) commented that the bad thing he sees at the moment is that there is low voter turnout, "catastrophically low". "I want to tell the Bulgarian people that if they don't vote today, they are killing their own future, they are killing their present, they are killing their children, they are killing Bulgaria as a whole. Because those who sell their votes for BGN 200-300-400-500, depending on the population, have no such scruples, and tonight it is possible to see a collapsed country, a country where you can to enter parliament with 50,000-60,000 votes," he said. 

Movement for Rights and Freedoms (MRF) Honorary Chair and Alliance for Rights and Freedoms (ARF) leader Ahmed Dogan told the press as he voted, "I voted for a better future for Bulgaria, for security and greater freedom for the citizens." Dogan said: "I would rather not discuss the MRF's problems today. This is about Bulgaria."

MRF-New Beginning leadrer Delyan Peevski said that he voted for a better Bulgaria, and a new beginning for everyone "by caring for people and finding agreements, for the sake of people's hopes".  Peevski voted in the Rhodope village of Babyak, Belitsa Municipality.

BSP-United Left leader Atanas Zafirov voted symbolically in the section where former president (2002-2012) Georgi Parvanov voted. He explained that he voted on paper because he believed that the possibilities of manipulation were smaller. "I voted because we must clearly tell the Bulgarian citizens that every vote is important and everyone must exercise this right to not allow someone else to decide for them," said  Zafirov. "I voted because Bulgaria is in a severe crisis - economic, political, social, moral, and it is time for decisions," he added.

Ivelin Mihaylov, leader of the Velichie (Grandeur) Party, said he voted “for a free Bulgaria where the people have equal rights and no one is above the law." He went on to comment: "Voting is important, so that we Bulgarians can have freedom, everyone can have security about the outcome of their labour and rest assured that their children will not become drug addicts, that they themselves will not live to see the ruin of everything they have struggled for, and will enjoy a decent living in their old age."