Bulgarians are voting in a presidential election as Russia's war on Ukraine spreads to the waters off the country's Black Sea coast. Ahead of Sunday's vote, President Iliana Iotova, 61, and former caretaker prime minister Andrey Gyurov, 50, led a field of 27 candidates in the polls.
The presidency is a largely ceremonial post. Major policies must be approved by Parliament, but direct election gives the president greater political authority. The president leads the armed forces and can veto legislation, sign international treaties and appoint ambassadors.
The election has drawn attention after drone attacks on merchant ships off Bulgaria's coast that likely killed some two dozen international seafarers. The strikes prompted international condemnation and concern about the growing reach of the war, and Bulgaria has sought allied assistance to bolster its maritime security. The government has stopped short of explicitly blaming Russia. Prime Minister Rumen Radev said the outcome of the strikes "benefits the Russian Federation".
Both leading candidates have condemned the strikes, but they differ on the broader war. Gyurov, who served as caretaker prime minister this year, is backed by pro-Western, reformist parties and has long expressed support for Ukraine. He signed a security cooperation agreement with Kyiv while premier. At a rally on Thursday he said he wants Bulgaria to have a voice of its own in Europe and to be a reliable NATO ally that defends its interests through preparedness, strong diplomacy and a clear position.
Iotova, a former vice president, became acting president in January after Radev resigned to enter the parliamentary race, which he won on what many political analysts considered a Kremlin-friendly ticket. Radev supports Iotova, and both call for a diplomatic end to the war. At a rally on Thursday, Iotova said her opponents argue that there must be a war of attrition, adding: "The truth is, we are all the ones who are most exhausted."
There is a broad consensus in Parliament on the country's pro-Western path, but widespread pro-Russian sentiments rooted in historical and cultural ties with Russia have divided society since Moscow's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Dobromir Zhivkov, managing director of the Market Links polling agency, said Iotova is among those who advocate a more neutral position. He told The Associated Press that they call for an end to aid for Ukraine and a halt to arms deliveries, and that "we often hear them use Kremlin rhetoric and terminology borrowed directly from Kremlin propaganda".
Candidates are also addressing public fears about the steep rise in energy prices and surging inflation, with many Bulgarians in rural areas struggling to make ends meet.
Polls by Alpha Research give Iotova 41 percent and Gyurov 28 percent. Voting starts at 7am (05:00 GMT) and polls close at 8pm (18:00 GMT). Analysts expect none of the 27 candidates to secure the outright majority needed to win in the first round. Turnout must also be above 50 percent of the 6.6 million registered voters, and Sunday's turnout is expected to be less than 40 percent, which means a likely run-off on November 1.