European Leaders Pledge Cooperation with Bulgaria's President-Elect Yotova

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, Romanian President Nicușor Dan and North Macedonia's President Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova have congratulated Iliana Yotova on her victory in Bulgaria's presidential election, expressing readiness to continue cooperation with the country's incoming president.

Von der Leyen sent her congratulations in a post on X, highlighting areas including security, defense, competitiveness and energy independence as priorities for further joint work.

“From security and defence to our competitiveness and energy independence, I look forward to continuing our joint work. For a strong Bulgaria in a strong Europe,” the European Commission president wrote.

Romanian President Nicușor Dan also congratulated Yotova on her election, BTA reported, saying he looked forward to maintaining close cooperation and strengthening relations between the two neighboring countries.

“Congratulations to Iliana Yotova on her election as President of Bulgaria! I look forward to continuing our close work together and to deepening cooperation between our countries. As neighbours, EU partners and NATO allies, there is much we can do together for the security and development of our region, starting with the Black Sea. I look forward to welcoming President Yotova to Romania soon,” Dan wrote on X.

Agerpres also reported Dan's congratulations, noting his intention to invite Yotova to Romania for an official visit. The Romanian president stressed that the two countries had considerable work ahead on security in the Black Sea region.

North Macedonia's President Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova likewise congratulated Yotova and expressed her willingness to work with her on strengthening bilateral relations.

“I look forward to working together in mutual respect, open dialogue and genuine partnership. In good faith we can overcome existing challenges, strengthen Macedonian-Bulgarian relations, and advance peace, stability and prosperity,” Siljanovska-Davkova said.

The election results also showed differing patterns of support for Yotova and her runoff opponent, Andrey Gyurov, among Bulgarians voting abroad.

Yotova won in Spain with 5,628 votes, or 57.676%. Gyurov had led there in the first round with 2,521 votes, representing 30.815%, while Yotova had received 1,903 votes, or 23.261%. Kostadin Kostadinov came third with 1,346 votes (16.453%), followed by Ivelin Mihaylov with 1,026 (12.541%).

Gyurov reversed the first-round result in Turkey, winning 5,905 votes, or 57.447%. His previous tally there had been 1,893 votes, or 24.957%. He added more than 4,000 votes in the runoff, while Yotova attracted fewer than 300 additional voters.

Gyurov also won in Germany, Italy and the United Kingdom, although his leads over Yotova were considerably narrower than in the first round. The closest race among these countries was in the United Kingdom, where he received 8,378 votes, or 49.804%, against Yotova's 8,045 votes, or 47.824%.

Yotova also overturned the first-round result in Greece, where she received 1,419 votes, compared with 1,404 for Gyurov.

Gyurov secured 67% of the vote in the United States, 63% in France, 72% in the Netherlands, 60% in Belgium, 64% in Sweden, 75% in Serbia and 78% in Israel.

Yotova won by a wide margin in Moldova, taking more than 85% of the vote, or 751 ballots from the Bessarabian Bulgarian community. She also recorded substantial victories in Russia, Belarus, Cyprus, Albania and Montenegro.

Across all overseas voting, Gyurov's support rose from 37,107 votes, or 45.799%, in the first round to 60,413 votes, or 56.363%, in the runoff. Yotova's tally increased from 18,465 votes, representing 22.790%, to 44,413 votes, or 41.435%. Gyurov therefore gained more than 22,000 votes between the rounds, while Yotova added over 25,000.