Socialist beats nationalist extremist to be President of Bulgaria

Socialist  Georgi Parvanov has been re-elected President of Bulgaria in what the BBC describe as a “landslide victory” over extreme nationalist Volen Siderov, in a second-round vote yesterday. Georgi Parvanov is the first President of Bulgaria to be re-elected since the end of communism.

His main opponent Volen Siderov, leader of the extreme nationalist Ataka Party (Attack) told a rally earlier this year in Sofia "Let's give Bulgaria back to the Bulgarians, Bulgaria is not yet free. Bulgaria is still under Turkish rule." He said to the crowd that ethnic minorities such as Turks and Gypsies should not be allowed into the Bulgarian Government.

According to EU affairs website Euractiv “Political analyst Kantcho Stoychev interpreted Parvanov's re-election as a sign of stability: "It is another proof that the transition period in Bulgaria is over. During the transition a president's re-election would have been impossible, and this is exactly what we see now".”

Euractiv also quoted Socialist Prime Minister Sergei Stanishev as saying "The categorical victory of the president is a very good sign for the European future of our country."