Yotova Calls for "Peace", Gyurov Invites Her to Presidential Debate

Presidential candidates Iliana Yotova and Andrey Gyurov outlined their positions ahead of Bulgaria’s November 1 runoff, with Yotova calling for a message of peace and stressing the importance of voting, while Gyurov invited her to an open debate.

“Our message of peace must be heard, and that is what we will focus on in the coming week,” Yotova said in her first comment on the election results.

She argued that political change could not be achieved without citizens casting ballots. “It is an illusion to believe that change can be brought about without voting,” Yotova declared, without specifying whether she would seek backing from other political parties.

Yotova said she expected Bulgaria to prosper in the coming years, noting that war was raging in Europe and recalling her pledge to serve as a president of peace. She said her campaign would focus on making that message heard over the coming week and stressed that Bulgaria held a strong position. She also said she did not want to see foreign flags waving in the country’s squares and streets.

Yotova pledged to maintain a positive campaign and said she did not want to be governed by “makeshift coalitions” (sglobki).

She also pointed to the non-participation of the second-largest political force, GERB, as one factor affecting voter turnout.

Gyurov, meanwhile, invited Yotova to take part in an open presidential debate before the November 1 runoff. He proposed that they face the Bulgarian public without their respective vice-presidential running mates. He made the invitation at a briefing at his campaign headquarters after the polls closed.

“I would like to call upon Ms. Yotova to join me in an open, honest, and civilized debate before the Bulgarian people. Let us present our positions and our visions regarding how we intend to exercise our powers and how we will act when Bulgaria faces difficult choices,” Gyurov said.

He expressed hope that Yotova would accept, allowing “Bulgarian citizens may make an informed decision.”

Gyurov said the debate was owed to everyone who had voted, particularly those who had stayed home and would now have to decide whether to participate in the runoff and whom to support.

He said his team had held no discussions with political party headquarters and would not negotiate with them during the week before the second round. Gyurov stressed that he was relying exclusively on support from Bulgarian voters.

At the start of his statement, Gyurov thanked those who had voted and those who had backed his presidential ticket. “I want to thank every single Bulgarian citizen who exercised their right to vote. Bulgaria is one, and we must not divide ourselves into 'us' and 'them.' I thank everyone who supported our presidential ticket. This represents a tremendous show of trust, which compels us to continue the fight for a new direction for Bulgaria,” he said.

Gyurov said his candidacy had gained substantial support but acknowledged that further work was needed before the decisive second round.

“This is no time for back-slapping; there is a lot of work ahead of us. Next week, Bulgaria must once again choose between two individuals, two directions, and two different approaches to exercising presidential powers,” he said.

Gyurov said Bulgaria needed a president capable of counterbalancing the concentration of power, explaining decisions regardless of whether they were good or bad, and bringing citizens together instead of dividing them.