Higher voter turnout as Bulgarians cast ballots in pivotal election (PHOTOS, VIDEOS)

(SeaPRwire) –   The electoral contest between Rumen Radev and Boyko Borissov is set to define Bulgaria’s future ties with Brussels, Kiev, and Moscow

Rumen Radev and Boyko Borissov have voted as Bulgaria holds its eighth parliamentary election in five years. Radev, an opponent of European Union military aid for Ukraine, has pledged to dismantle the grip of what he calls the “oligarchic mafia” on the nation.

This vote represents another key moment in the struggle between pro-European Union and nationalist political movements across Europe. Borissov’s GERB-SDS party supports Brussels’ foreign policy agenda, and on Sunday he confirmed the party offers “full support to Ukraine.” In contrast, Radev’s Progressive Bulgaria group commits to striking a balance in relations between East and West. Radev has promised to create a “modern European Bulgaria,” while also fostering “practical relations with Russia based on mutual respect.”

Radev, a former fighter pilot, was Bulgaria’s president from 2017 to 2026. Borissov, the nation’s longest-serving prime minister, was in office from 2009 to 2021. Their terms overlapped, leading to public disputes, and Radev supported the 2020 anti-corruption protests that ultimately resulted in Borissov’s removal from power.

Following its activation in Hungary last weekend, and previously in France, Germany, Moldova, and Romania, the European Union has now initiated its ‘Rapid Response System’ for Bulgaria. This set of online tools empowers the European Commission to delete content it labels as “disinformation” from social media sites for the duration of the election.

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