Bulgarian Presidential Race Tightens as GERB-Backed Candidate Unveiled

Anastas Gerdjikov comments on his candidacy at Sofia University on Friday. Photo: dnevnik.bg/Livestream Screenshot.

"I accepted an independent initiative to put forward my candidacy, I think I can be useful with my qualities to represent the unity of the nation. In the last week, I found out that GERB is ready to give their support," Gerdjikov to local media and denied all other questions until a further announcement, expected on Sunday.

Incumbent President Rumen Radev will also run an independent candidate, supported by the Bulgarian Socialist Party, as he was in 2016.

"Gerdjikov is the real alternative to Radev," GERB member Toma Bikov said on social media after the announcement. GERB leader and former Prime Minister Boyko Borissov have not yet commented.

Gerdjikov was born in 1963 in the town of Kardjali and is a professor of Roman Literature and Doctor of Philological Sciences (Ancient and Medieval Literature).

He graduated from Humboldt University, Berlin and in 1991 started teaching Latin at Sofia University, later also teaching Roman literature. Between 2001 and 2003 he was a Deputy Minister of Education.

Since 2015, he has been the rector of Sofia University. In 2017, an investigation by website offnews.bg alleged that there had been irregularities in Sofia University's spending, with Gerdjikov receiving around 7,889 euros over his usual annual wage without any documentation for the extra payment. Neither Gerdjikov nor the university made any response to the claim.

Although well-known within the academic community and in intellectual circles in Sofia, Gerdjikov might be a tougher sell in wider Bulgaria, where he doesn't enjoy public recognition.

Some have described his candidacy as surprising.

"Very...