President Iliana Iotova: Go out and vote! Every vote can be decisive!

“Give your vote so that it is not just a sound, but meaning and hope” – with this verse by poet Nikolay Milchev, Bulgarian President Iliana Iotova called on the Bulgarian people to vote. Her address was on the occasion of the upcoming early parliamentary elections on April 19.

“Casting a ballot is not just about taking an hour on a Sunday. It is an act of belonging to our nation. It means you want to be part of the ambition for a prosperous Bulgaria. It means you value your voice. It means you want to be responsible to your country. It means freedom and responsibility - personal, to our families, our loved ones, and society. It means insisting on legitimate institutions and a state with authority. Taking part in elections means that every single vote can prove decisive in closing the toxic wound of vote-buying. I value my vote. I am sure you value yours… My vote is my identity - it cannot be handed over to anyone,” the president said.

She reminded that these are the eighth parliamentary elections since 2021, and referred to the large-scale protests in 2025, when Bulgarians demanded their state back - free of corruption, delivering justice, and shaping a future. “The protests showed that there is no power stronger than the citizens,” Iliana Iotova stated.

She also urged Bulgarians to think about the day after the elections, when political tensions will subside and the country will face its real challenges. Addressing them will require a functioning National Assembly and a government with capacity and clear support.

The election campaign for the April 19 early parliamentary elections ends at midnight, while Saturday is the Day of Reflection.

Editor: Miglena Ivanova