Bulgarians vote in third election round as infections surge

Bulgaria: Bulgarians are heading to the polls on Sunday to  elect a new parliament and a  new president amid a surge  of coronavirus infections.  Some 6.7 million eligible  voters hope that after inconclusive general elections in  April and July, the third attempt to elect 240 lawmakers  will result in a government  to lead the European Union’s  poorest member out of  health and economic crises.  Analysts predict a low turnout due to people’s concerns  over the spread of the coronavirus, a sluggish vaccine  uptake and political apathy  after two inconclusive elections. The Balkan country,  which is the least vaccinated  in the EU, with less than onethird of its adults fully vaccinated, reported 334 COVIDrelated deaths this week in a  single day, the country’s highest daily toll since the start of  the pandemic.

A low turnout would favor  the former ruling GERB party that despite a further erosion in support can still count  on many loyal voters, and it  is likeliest to finish first. In  recent months, however, investigations by the current  caretaker government into  alleged corruption during  ex-Prime Minister Boyko Borissov’s tenure in office are  limiting his chances to find  coalition partners for his  fourth four-year term in the  last 12 years.

Analysts are predicting that  a new party, We Continue the  Change, created by the previous caretaker government’s  ministers of economy and  finance, will come in second  and likely be at the core of  a new government. Opinion polls suggest that up to  seven parties could pass the  4% threshold to enter parliament. In Sunday’s presidential election, a total of 23  candidates are running for  the largely ceremonial post.  Incumbent Rumen Radev, a  vocal critic of Borissov and a  firm supporter of last year’s  anti-corruption protests, is  tipped to have good chances  to win a second five-year  term.Polls suggest that he  will win slightly under the  50% needed for an outright  victory in the first round. If  so, there will be a runoff vote  on Nov. 21, most likely against  his main contestant for the  post Anastas Gerdzhikov, a  university professor. -(AP)

Fire in Covid hospital kills 3 in Bulgaria

Sophia: A Fire broke out on  a ward for COVID-19 patients in Bulgaria early Sunday, killing three people,  officials said. The fire in the  southern Bulgarian town of  Sliven broke out at about  2:40 a.m., the chief of the  local fire brigade, Vladimir  Demirev, told reporters.

A new surge in coronavirus  cases is overwhelming Bulgaria’s ailing health care system. The Balkan country of  7 million remains the leastvaccinated in the 27-nation  European Union, with less  than one-third of its adults  fully vaccinated. -AP