The interim results from the Municipal Election Commission outline DPS-Novo naklad as the first political force in Pazardzhik, BNR reported. In second position are PP-DB, followed by BSP and GERB. Before the final results and the distribution of mandates in the new 41-seat parliament, we can say that the PP "Svoboda", "Vazrazhdane" and the list of former mayor Todor Popov cross the line. For now, "Velichie", "Mech" and ITN are below the line.
Before "Horizont" The deputy chairman of the MRF-New Beginning, Radoslav Revanski, stated:
"We are showing that people, not only in the country, but specifically in Pazardzhik, really want a new beginning for the city, and we, as a political party, which, I dare say, is the most serious in Bulgaria, will do everything possible to fulfill what we promised the people, namely to give a new impetus to the city and the municipality."
The voting took place in a tense atmosphere, with a low voter turnout of 35 percent and a record number of observers. It was also marked by dozens of signals of vote-buying. Already at the beginning of the election day, tension arose between observers and members of sections:
"Threats are raining down on us that we will be put in prison. The whole situation is chaos."
"If someone feels threatened, they are criminally liable, and there is a reason, because the law is clearly not being followed and there are violations."
The major escalation came from the village of Ognyanovo, where observers and politicians made a citizen's arrest of three people who were alleged to be offering money for votes:
"There was a signal from the people in the village of Ognyanovo that interrogations and money distributions were taking place here, and we decided to go and check."
Those detained by the observers denied being vote traders:
"I said, I am not here to buy and sell votes."
The police stated that no evidence of election trading was found during the searches of the cars and the three men. And while the village of Ognyanovo became a center for both observers and party representatives, 300 people voted in the village of Aleko Konstantinovo in a short time.
Mayors of two out of three villages in Haskovo district, in which there were early partial elections for mayor of a settlement, have already been elected. A runoff will be held in the village of Chernogorovo in Dimitrovgrad next Sunday. This was announced to BTA by the Municipal Election Commissions (MECs) in Mineralni Bani, Dimitrovgrad and Harmanli.
In the village of Boyan Botevo, Mineralni Bani municipality, the new mayor is Vildan Mehmed, nominated by the Movement for Rights and Freedoms. She was also the only contender, after her rival, Shabanali Mehmed, nominated by the Initiative Committee, withdrew from the race. Mehmed received 285 votes out of a total of 638 voters. Of these, 31 have crossed out the "I do not support anyone" box. Voter turnout is 50.94 percent.
In the Harmanli village of Slavyanovo, independent Nikolay Balabanov defeated Radko Kyosev from the BSP-United Left with 207 votes, who received 72 votes. In the village, 509 people had the right to cast a ballot. Balabanov was mayor from the local vote in 2023, but was removed from office at the end of March this year after receiving signals of commercial activity incompatible with his position.
In the Dimitrovgrad village of Chernogorovo, GERB candidate Lidiya Moleva collected 193 votes. 148 people voted for Hristina Statteva from the Movement for Rights and Freedoms, and 129 voters voted for Petyo Petkov, nominated by the Initiative Committee. So next Sunday, Moleva and Statteva will go to the runoff, the MEC decided.
The elections began in all three places in a calm atmosphere. During the vote, only one signal of illegal campaigning was filed in the village of Slavyanovo, but the MEC-Harmanli considered it unfounded.
The decisions of all three MECs can be appealed to the Administrative Court in Haskovo.
With a 64% voter turnout, the voting for mayor of the Petritsa village of Belasitsa has ended, the Municipal Election Commission announced. The voters with the right to vote according to preliminary lists were about 960 people.
Election day in the village began at 07:00 and ended at 20:00. No reports of violations were received. The protocols for the partial local elections are awaited from the Municipal Election Commission.
The elections in Belasitsa were necessitated due to the resignation of the current mayor Velik Filchev. The date for the partial elections was set by Presidential Decree No. 72. Currently, the position of mayor of the village of Belasitsa is temporarily held by Velichka Spasova, until the swearing-in of the newly elected mayor.
The elections for mayor of the Popovo village of Zaraevo ended without any violations. The voter turnout as of 8:00 p.m. was 62 percent, the chairman of the Municipal Election Commission (MEC) in Popovo, Galin Tsankov, told BTA.
A total of 472 citizens out of a total of 752 eligible to vote in the partial elections for mayor of the village of Zaraevo exercised their right to vote.
According to the interim results during the day, the voter turnout as of 11:00 a.m. was 18.3 percent, and at 4:00 p.m. it was just over 47 percent.
The results of the vote of the residents of Zaraevo are expected by the end of the day, the chairman of the MEC - Popovo also said.