site.btaTop-of-the-list Candidates: Plovdiv's 16th Constituency

BTA will publish the names of the top-of-the-list candidates of every party for all constituencies for the June 9 parliamentary elections. The information about the candidates is provided by the respective party/coalition, the candidates themselves and other official sources of information.

A total of 31 parties and coalitions have been registered in Multi-member Constituency No. 16 in Plovdiv. The candidates total 362, according to the Constituency Election Commission. 

The order follows the sequential numbers on the ballots, as drawn by the Central Election Commission:

1. There Is Such a People: Stanislav Balabanov. Native of Plovdiv, 36 years old. Has two higher educations - Bulgarian philology and journalism. MP in the 45th, 46th, 47th and 49th National Assembly.
2. Glas Naroden [People's Voice] Party: Svetoslav Vitkov. Born in 1971 in Sofia, majored in Economics at University of National and World Economy. Musician and author. Sofia municipal councilor, 2015-2019.
3. Blue Bulgaria Coalition (9 parties: Conservative Alliance of the Right (KOD); Bulgarian Democratic Forum; Democratic Action Movement; National Movement for Stability and Upsurge; Bulgaria of the Citizens Movement; Conservative Bulgaria Party; Radical Democratic Party in Bulgaria; Bulgarian New Democracy Party; Agrarian People's Union): Borislav Inchev. Plovdiv native, 44 years old. Worked in Plovdiv administration since 2007. Currently Plovdiv municipal councilor.
4. We the Citizens Coalition (3 parties: Bulgarian Spring; Competence, Responsibility and Truth (KOI); Bulgarian Workers'-Peasants' Party): Chavdar Borachev. Born in 1948 in Varna. Graduated in aircraft engine engineering in Moscow. Senior technician in an aviation regiment, studied Strategic Intelligence in the Military Academy, served as adviser-assistant in the Ministry of Defence. Served as Consul, temporarily managing the embassy of the Republic of Bulgaria in Abuja, Nigeria. Elected Honorary Chairman of the Military Intelligence Association in 2021.
5. No registered list of candidates;
6. Bulgarian Voice Party: Nikolay Drenchev. Born in 1968 in Dobrich. Graduated as a lieutenant and aviator - pilot. Served as an officer at the Gabrovnica air base, left the army in 1994, then engaged in private business. One of the founders of the political party Vazrazhdane in 2014. MP in the 47th, 48th and 49th National Assembly, as well as organizational secretary of the party and a member of the Defence Commission and the Security Services Control Commission. Has not been part of the Vazrazhdane party since the beginning of 2024. According to him, he is one of the creators of the future alternative for Bulgaria.
7. Rose Coalition (3 parties: Bulgarian Social Democracy - EuroLeft; United Labour Bloc Bulgarian Labourists; Rodolyubie 2000): Aleksandar Tomov. Born in 1954 in Sofia. Studied in University of National and World Economy and St. Petersburg. Among the founders of the Political Science department at Sofia University. Doctor of Economics since 1986, Associate Professor since 1988. Coined the leadership of the Bulgarian Socialist Party and became MP in 1990. Deputy Chair of the Council of Ministers in the coalition government of Dimitar Popov. One of the founders of the Bulgarian Euroleft party. East-West Institute in New York Director. Former head of the supervisory board of PFC CSKA Sofia.
8. Centre Coalition (2 parties: Svoboda [Freedom]; Bulgarian Agrarian Party): Stanyu Simeonov. Born in 1981 in Plovdiv. Extensive experience as agricultural producer.
9. Bulgarian Solidarity Coalition: Vanya Grigorova. She is a former trade unionist, economic adviser to the president of the Podkrepa Confederation of labour. Candidate for Sofia mayor in 2023. Currently Sofia Municipal Councilor.
10. No registered list of candidates.
11. Bulgarian National Alliance (BNO) Party: Georgi Hristov, 23 years old student of Business Management at Sofia University.
12. Vazrazhdane Party: Angel Georgiev, 36 years old from Vidin. Graduated in Law from the University of Veliko Tarnovo. One of the founders of Vazrazhdane, regional for the regions of Plovdiv and Smolyan. Works for a number of large companies, in the field of outsourcing, communication systems and the management of human resources and large groups of people. MP in the 47th, 48th and 49th National Assembly.
13. Morality, Unity, Honour (MECh) Party: Radostin Vasilev. Born in 1985 in Pleven. Graduated in Law from Sofia University. Lawyer with expertise in the field of civil law and legal regulation of sports. MP in the 45th and 46th National Assembly from the There Is Such a People (TISP) party, during 47th National Assembly left TISP and joined Continue the Change. MP in the 48th and 49th National Assembly from Continuing the Change - Democratic Bulgaria. Left the coalition in May 2023.
14. Continue the Change - Democratic Bulgaria Coalition (4 parties: Continue the Change; VOLT; Democrats for Strong Bulgaria; Yes, Bulgaria Movement): Assen Vassilev. Born in 1977 in Haskovo. Graduated in Economics at Harvard, specialized in Business Administration and Law at Harvard Business School and Harvard Law School. Was Minister of Economy, Energy and Tourism in the caretaker government of Marin Raykov in 2013, Minister of Finance in the first caretaker cabinet of Stefan Yanev in 2021, Deputy Prime Minister for European Funds and Minister of Finance in the regular government of Kiril Petkov and Minister of Finance in the government of Nikolay Denkov.
15. The Truth and Nothing but the Truth People's Party: Atanas Tanev
16. Bulgarian Rise Party: Stefan Yanev. Born in 1960. Military officer and politician, Caretaker prime minister in two successive caretaker governments (May 12, 2021-December 13, 2021). Minister of Defence (13 December 2021-1 March 2022). MP in the 48th National Assembly (2022-2023). Founder and Chair of the Bulgarian Rise party since 2022.
17. Civic Bloc Coalition (Radicals Bulgarian Democratic Union, Bulgarian Women's Party): Prof. Dr. Petar Petrov. Born in Haskovo, graduated in medicine at the Medical University in Plovdiv in 2003, acquired various scientific degrees and consulted and managed various medical establishments and organizations.
18. Society for New Bulgaria Party: Nadezhda Yordanova-Ramdan. Born in Plovdiv in 1872. Since 2020, he has been teaching German in a language school.
19. The Left! Coalition (ABV (Alternative for Bulgarian Revival), Movement 21, Green Party, Alexander Stamboliiski Agrarian Party, National Movement for Salvation of the Fatherland, Social Democrats Political Movement): Valeri Zhablyanov. Born in 1965 in Sofia. MP in several parliaments and deputy chair of the 44th National Assembly from the parliamentary group of BSP for Bulgaria. Zhablyanov is also the leader of the list of MEP candidates from the coalition.
20. Party of the Greens: Valentin Simov, 70 years old, a native of Sofia. MP in the 38th National Assembly. This is stated in a biography sent to BTA. Member of the Management Board and General Secretary of the Bulgarian Federation of Fishing Sports. One of the founders of the Party of the Greens in 2001.
21. Here We Come Party: Nikolay Hadzhigenov. Born on1971 in Sofia. Fluent in English, Italian and Russian. Worked as a lawyer in the field of criminal law and intellectual property rights for more than 20 years. Civil activist and human rights defender. MP in the 45th and 46th National Assembly.
22. GERB-UDF Coalition (Citizens for European Development of Bulgaria (GERB) and Union of Democratic Forces (UDF)): Boyko Borisov. Born in1959 in Bankya. GERB Chair. Prime Minister in three governments. Former Chief Secretary of the Ministry of the Interior and Sofia Mayor. Founder of GERB political party in 2006. Head of the Committee on Foreign Policy in the 49th National Assembly.
23. Bulgarian National Union New Democracy Party: Ilya Gyurov, 22 years old, born in Stara Zagora. Third-year student of Political Science at the University of Plovdiv.
24. BSP for Bulgaria Coalition (Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP); Ecoglasnost Political Club; Trakia Political Club): Ivan Petkov. Born in Plovdiv, 37 years old, еconomist. Former municipal councilor in the municipality of Plovdiv. MP in the 45th, 47th, 48th and 49th National Assembly.
25. Velichie [Grandeur] Party: Nikolay Markov. Works as an officer in the national security system, where he has held various positions related to countering terrorist threats. Full-time university lecturer at the New Bulgarian University. Speaks English, French and Russian.
26. VMRO-Bulgarian National Movement Party: Angel Dzhambazki. Born in 1979 in Sofia. A politician. Member of the European Parliament since 2014, chair of the VMRO delegation in the group of European conservatives and reformists in the European Parliament. Former municipal councilor in the Sofia Municipal Council. Dzhambazki is also the leader of the lists for European Parliament.
27. Direct Democracy Party: Zhivko Stoev. He is 38 years old, a native of Plovdiv. Graduated from the Tsanko Lavrenov National Art High School and then the Academy of Fine Arts in Münster, Germany, majoring in Sculpture. Worked in the Archival Fund of Münster, archeology and artefacts. Developed consulting and mediation activities in collecting fine art and objects of special cultural importance and heritage.
28. Movement for Rights and Freedoms (MRF) Party: Taner Ali, 51 years old, a native of Targovishte. Mayor of Antonovo Municipality. MP in the 44th, 46th, 48th and 49th National Assembly.
29. Green Movement Party: Albena Varbanova. MP in the 45th, 46th and 48th National Assembly, she informed BTA. Graduated with a degree in Environmental Management, a master's degree at the Faculty of Biology of Sofia University, has post-graduate qualifications from the University of Berkeley and the Environmental Law Institute in Washington. Bioproducer, vine grower in the village of Lyubenovo, Nikopol municipality.
30. Party for Great Bulgaria: Rada Marova.
31. Bulgarian Union for Direct Democracy (BSDD): Desislava Yonova. Law student. Speaks English, French and Portuguese.
32. Neutral Bulgaria Coalition (4 parties: Communist Party of Bulgaria; Bulgarian Communist Party; Party of Bulgarian Communists; Russophiles for the Revival of the Fatherland): Ivan Penchev. Born in 1946 in Popovo, Chemical engineer by education. Held research and teaching, as well as administrative positions. Author of 95 publications in national and international journals and over 800 citations.