Presidential elections are underway in Bulgaria

Presidential elections are underway in Bulgaria. 9,373 polling stations have opened across the country, where up to 6.6 million citizens have the right to vote. The voting began at 07:00 and will continue until 20:00. Imedi

The election is being held against the backdrop of attacks on merchant ships near the Black Sea coast, which, according to Reuters, have likely claimed the lives of two dozen or more foreign sailors. Due to the incident, the Bulgarian government has asked allies for help to strengthen maritime security. Bulgaria has not directly blamed Russia for the attacks, although Prime Minister Rumen Radev stated that these events serve the interests of the Russian Federation. Formula+1

According to data from the research organization Alpha Research, acting President Iliana Iotova leads among the candidates with 41%, and former interim Prime Minister Andrei Gyurov with 28%. Iotova, who is supported by former President Rumen Radev, is in favor of ending the Russia-Ukraine war through diplomatic means. Gyurov, who is supported by pro-Western and reformist parties, favors supporting Ukraine and signed a security agreement with Kyiv during his time as prime minister. Formula+1

If no candidate receives a majority of votes in the first round, the second round of the election will be held on November 1. If Iotova wins, she will become the first female president in the history of Bulgaria. Formula+2