Bulgarian President sends election date stalemate to MPs

The date of Bulgaria’s presidential and local elections will be decided through dialogue between MPs, President Georgi Parvanov announced on Tuesday.

Parvanov spoke after holding consultations with the main political parties on the appointment of members of the Central Electoral Commission, CEC.

Bulgaria’s parties have proposed several different dates for the fall elections and failed to agree on one, prompting the president to send the issue to debate in parliament.

The ruling center-right party Citizens for European Development of Bulgaria, GERB, with support from the nationalist Ataka party, has suggested that the polls should be held on October 23, arguing that municipal budgets are approved at the end of the year and these activities might be delayed if the elections are held later.

GERB legislators say that the runoff vote can be held on October 30, meaning that the Central Electoral Commission will finish its work by November 8-10.