Iliyana Yotova's victory in the presidential elections is important for preserving the country's sustainable course towards normalization. This was stated by Deputy Prime Minister Ivo Hristov in the morning block of BNT “The Day Begins“, quoted by novini.bg.
According to him, Yotova is a “predictable, reliable and proven politician“, who has the necessary authority to gain the trust of voters.
Hristov announced that he is familiar with the choice of a candidate for vice president, but refused to name a name. He stressed that the decision is entirely within the powers of Iliana Yotova.
“Ms. Yotova is the only one who has the right to choose her candidate for vice president. She conducts her own conversations and polls. I welcome her decision to announce her candidacy early, because this is the behavior of a politician who is not afraid of being in the public eye“, said Hristov.
According to him, the upcoming presidential elections will be unpredictable and require mobilization of voters. He commented that political opponents will also fight for victory, noting that GERB retains significant political weight.
“In order to preserve the country's sustainable course towards normalization, it is important that these elections are won by Ms. Yotova“, said the Deputy Prime Minister.
According to him, the authority accumulated over the years by Iliana Yotova is sufficient to attract broad public support, although it is natural that she is recognized mainly by voters in the left-wing political space.
The Deputy Prime Minister also commented on the president's decision not to veto the 2026 State Budget Act, describing it as correct.
“We lived without a budget for seven months because of the political crisis. "Finally, the country has a budget," said Hristov.
He emphasized that the head of state has the constitutional right to be a corrective to the executive branch when he deems it necessary, but should not be a "self-serving oppositionist." According to him, the opposition's criticism that a possible victory by Yotova would mean support for the president's government is unfounded.
Hristov announced that the management program of “Progressive Bulgaria“ is expected to be presented soon.
According to him, some of the planned measures are already being implemented.
As an example, he cited the implementation of the “Sigma“ system, which uses artificial intelligence to analyze public procurement in order to limit violations.
He also commented on the topic of the “Lukoil“ refinery, indicating that there are still issues surrounding it related to the sanctions regime and the current derogation.
In his capacity as Deputy Prime Minister responsible for tourism, Hristov stated that Bulgaria has a diverse tourist product, including sea, winter, cultural and historical, culinary and wine tourism. According to him, the country has the potential to attract more tourists in the coming years.
Hristov expressed his expectation that hosting the Eurovision Song Contest next year will contribute to the promotion of Bulgaria as a tourist destination.