Sofia: The ruling centre-right party's candidate has a comfortable lead in Bulgaria's presidential race before next weekend's run-off, suggesting voter support for painful economic reforms.
The Central Election Commission said on Monday the GERB party's Rosen Plevneliev had 39.73 percent of Sunday's vote with 78.71 percent of the ballots counted. In the October 30 run-off, he will face Ivailo Kalfin, of the opposition Socialist Party, who had 29.44 percent.
Plevneliev, the former construction minister, has pledged to support Prime Minister Boiko Borisov's drive to reduce the impoverished country's budget deficit and pursue business-friendly policies.
Besides the vote for a new president, heated mayoral battles took place in many of the country's 264 municipalities.
Bureau Report
First Published: Monday, October 24, 2011, 16:30