Sofia - Arab Today
Bulgarians began voting Sunday in an election run-off for the country's president, an elections that could see centre-right Prime Minister Boyko Borisov's government fall if his handpicked candidate fails to defeat a Socialist-backed general.
The tough-talking premier has vowed to throw in the towel if his pro-EU protegee, parliamentary speaker Tsetska Tsacheva, loses to former airforce chief Rumen Radev.
A political novice, the 53-year-old fighter pilot stunned pollsters by sweeping 25.44% of the vote to Tsacheva's 21.96% in the first round of the election on November 6.
The latest polls show Radev is still the favourite as voters seek to punish the government over its perceived failure to tackle rampant corruption and poverty in the European Union's poorest member state.
The winner is scheduled to replace Plevneliev on January 22. He had declined to seek a second 5-year term.
Polling stations opened at 0500 GMT and will close at 1800 GMT, with first projections expected shortly afterwards.
If Tsacheva loses, Borisov could announce his resignation on Sunday evening.
Source: QNA