Voters stay home as presidential election begins
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Bulgarians are heading to the polls today to elect their next president and vice president, with early reports indicating a very low voter turnout. Political analysts suggest that the outcome of these elections could be perceived as a referendum on the current government, and a runoff is widely predicted given the number of candidates.
The elections are taking place as the country grapples with the assassination of businessman and former MEP Slavi Binev, who was shot dead in Sofia on Friday. Three individuals, including two Turkish citizens, have been detained in connection with the murder.
In other developments, the Central Election Commission has reported technical problems with 12 voting machines. Separately, satirical Facebook pages 'Puyllo', 'BG Elves', and 'Kopeikin', which have been critical of authorities, have been removed again, though some reports indicate they have since reappeared.