Bulgaria's incumbent wins 1st round of presidential poll

Bulgaria's incumbent President Georgi Parvanov on Monday won the first round of the presidential vote, but the low voter turnout meant he had to face a run-off with nationalist candidate Volen Siderov.

Official results showed that with 99.76 percent of votes counted,Parvanov garnered 64 percent of the ballots, leading by a big margin his closest rival Siderov, who took 21.5 percent.

Parvanov's another major rival, hardliner right-wing candidate Nedelcho Beronov, who also chairs the Constitutional Court, ranked the third with 10 percent of the votes.

The voter turnout stood at only 42.1 percent, lower than the 50 percent required for a candidate to win outright in the first round. Parvanov, 49, would face a run-off against Siderov on Oct. 29.

The Bulgarian presidency is largely ceremonial, but is entitled to legislative veto power. Parvanov, who is fighting for a second term, will achieve his goal of leading the country into the European Union on Jan. 1 if he wins.

Source: Xinhua