Only 610 people voted in the municipality of Belitsa in the first round of the presidential elections out of nearly 8,000 eligible voters. In some settlements, turnout was almost zero, and residents say they are considering not going to the polls in the runoff either.
In the village of Lyutovo, only two people, both members of the section election commission, made it to the polls. In Babyak, the hometown of Mayor Radoslav Revanski, seven people, again members of the commission, voted. In one of the villages, not a single vote had been cast by 3 p.m.
The mayor's arrest is among the reasons cited
Some residents link the boycott to the arrest of mayor Radoslav Revanski. He is accused in a case related to influence peddling and remains in custody, according to media reports. In Belitsa and the surrounding villages, people say they are dissatisfied with both the actions of the authorities and the way journalists are covering the incident.
“Why should I vote? To arrest our mayor? Look at these streets, it's all thanks to Revanski, not someone else“, says resident Isa.
Kiamil Jamal describes the mood as “a certain reluctance“ and states that the anger is related to what happened to the mayor. When asked if he voted, he replies: “No!“
Dissatisfaction with all politicians
For other residents, Revanski's arrest is not the only reason they remain outside the electoral process. They say they are disappointed with all politicians and the lack of visible solutions for the settlements.
“Everyone cares about him, sister, and to sit on the big chair. That's the situation, they don't think about the people“, says Ayşe, pointing to the poor condition of the streets.
The residents deny that they have been pressured not to vote. However, some of them do not give a clear answer whether they will participate in the run-off. "If they let Revanski go, people will come out 100%," says Isa, who links the low turnout to support for the mayor.
The runoff will be held next Sunday. At the moment, there is no general decision announced in Belitsa to participate in the vote, but talks about a new boycott continue.
Sources: news.bg, btvnovinite.bg, bntnews.bg