Bulgarians Vote in Tight Presidential Runoff Dominating Black Sea

Bulgarians went to the polls Sunday in a closely contested presidential runoff between acting President Iliana Yotova and pro-Western former caretaker Prime Minister Andrey Gyurov, with relations with Russia and security in the Black Sea dominating the campaign. Yotova led the October 25 first round with 34.8% of votes, against 32% for Gyurov. Turnout was a record-low 22.98%, according to Bulgaria’s Central Election Commission. JOIN US ON TELEGRAMFollow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official. Yotova, backed by Prime Minister Rumen Radev’s governing party, favors improved ties with Moscow and a negotiated settlement to the war in Ukraine. Gyurov, supported by reformist opposition parties, has advocated closer cooperation with Kyiv and Western allies. The vote follows drone attacks on merchant ships off Bulgaria’s Black Sea coast, which have raised concerns over maritime security. The president can veto parliamentary legislation. Polls opened at 7 a.m. local time and close at 8 p.m. Exit polls are expected afterward, with official results due Monday. TVP World is Poland's first English-language channel where you can find our guest interviews, world news from the Polish perspective and the latest news from the CEE region.