Socialist-backed candidate Rumen Radev, who has called for an end to European Union sanctions against Russia, won the first round of Bulgaria’s presidential election, partial official results showed on Monday.
Radev’s close-fought victory over ruling party candidate Tsetska Tsacheva makes the former air force commander the favorite to win a run-off on Sunday, a result that could bring the Black Sea state politically closer to Russia.
Results from 86 percent of polling stations showed Radev, 53, winning 25.8 percent of the vote. Center-right candidate Tsacheva, who had been expected to win narrowly, was at 22 percent.
A Radev victory in the run-off could …read more
Source: Voice of America
