site.btaTop-of-the-list Candidates: Plovdiv's 17th 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.

A total of 31 parties and coalitions have been registered in Multi-member Constituency No. 17 in Plovdiv.

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

1. There Is Such a People: Stanislav Balabanov. Aged 36. Born in Plovdiv. Studied Bulgarian linguistics and literature, and journalism. A member of the 45th, 46th, 47th and 49th National Assembly.
2. Glas Naroden [People's Voice] Party: Stoyan Krastanov. Aged 39. Holds a bachelor's degree in business and information technology from Plovdiv University and a master's degree in information technology in the judiciary and the executive government from Veliko Tarnovo University. Owns an IT company. Never held a political post.
3. Blue Bulgaria Coalition (nine 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): Boris Yachev. Born 1965. Studied Bulgarian linguistics and literature, and international economic relations. A member of the 40th, 43rd and 44th National Assembly; chair of the Counter-corruption Committee in the 44th National Assembly. Leader of the Conservative Bulgaria Party;
4. We the Citizens Coalition (three parties: Bulgarian Spring; Competence, Responsibility and Truth (KOI); Bulgarian Workers'-Peasants' Party): Chavdar Borachev. Born in Varna in 1948. A reserve colonel of the Bulgarian Armed Forces. Studied at the Zhukovsky Air Force Engineering Academy in Moscow; was a hearer at the Strategic Intelligence Department of the Rakovski National Defence College in Sofia. Worked with the Ministry of Defence; headed the Security Department at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; served as a bank security executive. Former consul and charge d'affaires with the Bulgarian Embassy in Nigeria. Also tops the coalition's candidates list in Multi-member Constituency No. 16 in Plovdiv;
5. No registered list of candidates;
6. Bulgarian Voice Party: Mihail Mutafchiev;
7. Rose Coalition (three parties: Bulgarian Social Democracy - EuroLeft; United Labour Bloc Bulgarian Labourists; Rodolyubie 2000): Stefan Metodiev. Studied at the National Military University in Veliko Tarnovo/. Engaged in social activities at a Plovdiv-based foundation named Shtedrost i Milosardie (Benevolence and Compassion);
8. Centre Coalition (two parties: Svoboda [Freedom]; Bulgarian Agrarian Party): Rumen Stoyanov. Born in Kalofer in 1965. Holds a master's degree in economics of tourism from the Agricultural University in Plovdiv. A longtime mayor of Kalofer. Director of the Mayoralty Mayors Association.
9. Bulgarian Solidarity Coalition (three parties: Rise Up Bulgaria; Bulgarian Left; United Social Democracy): Atanas Krastev. Born 1962. Chairs the Regional Trade Union of the Podkrepa Confederation of Labour.
10. Edinenie [Unity] Party: Nikolai Naidenov. Aged 44. A financier by education. A business owner.
11. Bulgarian National Alliance (BNO) Party: Petar Evtimov. Aged 49. Born in Sofia. Studied at the Technical University of Sofia. Works as a pre-print expert. A master potter;
12. Vazrazhdane Party: Krastyo Vrachev. Born in Hisarya in 1980. A practicing engineer. A member of the 49th National Assembly;
13. Morality, Unity, Honour (MECh) Party: Krasimir Donchev. Aged 46. A private entrepreneur; currently runs a real estate agency and a solar energy business. Official representative of British universities and colleges;
14. Continue the Change - Democratic Bulgaria Coalition (4 parties: Continue the Change; VOLT; Democrats for Strong Bulgaria; Yes, Bulgaria Movement): Bogdan Bogdanov. Born 1987. Holds a bachelor's degree in finance from VUZF University (Higher School of Insurance and Finance) in Sofia and a master's degree in European business and finance from the University of National and World Economics in Sofia. Studied at West Chester University (Pennsylvania, US). Has worked for Bulgarian and foreign companies. Served as executive director of the InvestBulgaria Agency. Minister of Economy and Industry between June 2023 and April 2024 in the Nikolay Denkov government;
15. The Truth and Nothing but the Truth People's Party: Atanas Tanev. A native of Rodopi Municipality. Has worked abroad for years. Also tops the party's candidates list for Multi-member Constituency No. 16 in Plovdiv;
16. Bulgarian Rise Party: Dimitar Cholakov. Born 1964. Has sat on the Municipal Council of Plovdiv for various parties;
17. Civic Bloc Coalition (Radicals Bulgarian Democratic Union, Bulgarian Women's Party): Stefan Shipkaliev. Born 1955. A practicing lawyer;
18. Society for New Bulgaria Party: Venelina Baltadzhieva. Aged 23. Born in Plovdiv. In her third year of studies in law. Works at a notary public's office;
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): Alexander Andreev. Born 1967. Worked as a lawyer. Taught intellectual property law at the University of National and World Economy in Sofia and international private law at New Bulgarian University in Sofia. A member of the Central Election Commission since 2007; a spokesman for the Commission between 2009 and 2020; chairman of the Commission between October 2020 and May 2021;
20. Party of the Greens: Mihail Gruev. Born 1997. Holds a bachelor's degree in public administration from the University of National and World Economy in Sofia. Worked as a customs agent for a private company at Sofia Airport. A mayoral candidate in the Sofia borough of Studentski Grad (Students' Town) during the local elections in 2023;
21. Here We Come Party: Gancho Ganchev. Born in Karlovo in 1977. Studied agrarian science at the Agricultural University of Plovdiv and earned a master's degree in farming machinery from the same university. Studied law at Veliko Tarnovo University. Currently sits on the Municipal Council in Karlovo;
22. GERB-UDF Coalition (Citizens for European Development of Bulgaria (GERB) and Union of Democratic Forces (UDF)): Tsveta Karayancheva. Aged 56. Has higher education. Served as a technologist and chief executive officer at machine building companies. A member of five National Assemblies, from the 41st to the 45th. Regional coordinator for GERB in Kardzhali. Also tops the coalition's candidates list in Kardzhali;
23. Bulgarian National Union New Democracy Party: Georgi Bonev. Aged 50. Born in Asenovgrad, resident in Plovdiv. Studied at the School of Commerce in Plovdiv. Works in the field of logistics. A member of the party for 18 years;
24. BSP for Bulgaria Coalition (Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP); Ecoglasnost Political Club; Trakia Political Club): Veska Nencheva. Born in Karlovo in 1974. Taught Bulgarian language and literature at a secondary school in her hometown from 1996 to 2017. A member of five National Assemblies, from the 44th to the 48th;
25. Velichie [Grandeur] Party: Darin Georgiev. Aged 39. A native of Plovdiv. Holds a bachelor's degree in psychology and a master's degree in applied psychology. A doctoral candidate at the National Security Department at the National Military University in Veliko Tarnovo. A former intelligence officer with the Joint Special Operations Command. Has worked in the field of security for 18 years, including in high-risk areas and with peacekeeping and diplomatic missions;
26. VMRO-Bulgarian National Movement Party: Nikola Likov. Aged 73. Holds a master's degree in economics and administration in tourism. Has served as deputy mayor and a municipal councillor in Karlovo. Heads the Plovdiv regional chapter of VMRO;
27. Direct Democracy Party: Atanas Vasilev;
28. Movement for Rights and Freedoms (MRF) Party: Ramadan Atalay. Born in Madrevo, Kubrat Municipality in 1957. A member of the National Assemblies from the 38th to the 49th (since 1997);
29. Green Movement Party: Maya Hristozova;
30. Party for Great Bulgaria: Rada Marova. She also tops the party's candidates list in Multi-member Constituency No. 16 in Plovdiv;
31. Bulgarian Union for Direct Democracy (BSDD): Vilina Disheva. Aged 26. A native of Yagodovo, Rodopi Municipality. In her last year of studies in Bulgarian language and history at Plovdiv University. Has worked in trade for several years;
32. Neutral Bulgaria Coalition (four parties: Communist Party of Bulgaria; Bulgarian Communist Party; Party of Bulgarian Communists; Russophiles for the Revival of the Fatherland): Marko Petrov. Born 1954. Studied at the Academy of Economics in Svishtov and the Command and Staff Faculty of the Rakovski National Defence College in Sofia. Was a refugee camp director in Harmanli.