Pro-Western Bulgarians Urged to Unite Behind Tsacheva

The GERB candidiate who came second in Sunday's first round of Bulgaria's presidential election issued a stark warning on Monday about the future of democracy if her left-wing rival wins the second round run-off on November 13.

Rumen Radev, ex-airforce chief backed by the Bulgarian Socialist Party, BSP, won a convincing victory over Testska Tsacheva in the first round of the presidential vote with 25.7 per cent of the votes as compared to 22 per cent, according to the latest results of the Central Electoral Commission, based on 95 per cent of the ballots.

Radev's win shook up the GERB-led coalition government of Prime Minister Boyko Borissov, who has confirmed his threat to resign if Tsacheva fails to secure the presidential post.

"Bulgarian voters have to realize that what their homeland will look like depends on them, and they should decisively oppose any attempt by those who destroy instead of creating and who divide instead of uniting to recapture the country, " Tsacheva said on Monday.

Tsacheva said that ahead of next Sunday's run-off, Bulgaria had only two choices: "to return back to the dark past of ideological lies", or "to remain where it belongs with dignity - among the free European nations".

In response, Radev who is called the "red general" by members of GERB and its coalition partner, the right-wing Reformist Bloc, RB, accused the government of "dealing with fear in a state of total political impotence".

Despite of being framed as a pro-Russian candidate by his opponents - and by some supporters - Radev told Bulgarian National Radio that he supported Bulgaria's clear Euro-Atlantic orientation.

"Why should Europhilia definitely mean Russophobia?" Radev asked, adding that such a position was unhealthy.