98-year-old Bulgarian casts his vote in Melbourne, Australia

Today, Bulgarians in Australia have the opportunity to exercise their right to vote at six polling stations in Canberra, Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney.

Bulgaria votes to elect President and Vice President

In Melbourne, one of Australia's most cosmopolitan cities and an important hub for the Bulgarian diaspora on the continent, election day is proceeding calmly and in an orderly manner. This was told to Radio Bulgaria by Mancho Manev, deputy chair of the local precinct election commission. An hour before the polls closed, 77 Bulgarians had cast their ballots in Melbourne. According to Manev, members of the Bulgarian community are motivated and interested in today's vote, although turnout is lower than in the parliamentary elections in April, when the polling station recorded a record number of voters.

“Unfortunately, voter turnout is perhaps half what it was in the parliamentary elections. The main reason may well be the torrential rain that has been pouring down in Melbourne since this morning and has not let up so far.”

Aside from the weather, presidential elections traditionally attract fewer voters in Australia, Manev acknowledges. It is difficult to say exactly what motivates those who came to the polling station today.

“Some look ahead with hope and expect greater stability and predictability. Others are more sceptical because of the political developments of recent years. What most people have in common, however, is that they recognise the importance of the election and want their voices to be heard.

“Interestingly, some voters are driven by a sense of duty towards their homeland. One remarkable fact today is that the oldest voter in Melbourne was 98 years old. This proves that when people are motivated, there are no excuses or obstacles that should prevent them from exercising their right to vote. For him, elections are a celebration. He was happy that, once again, his vote mattered and that, even at what is figuratively the other side of the world, Bulgaria had made it possible for him to exercise his right to choose.

“We have also noticed increased interest among younger people. We saw several young people come and vote for the first time, which is a very, very positive trend,” Manev says.

Despite turnout being roughly half that recorded in the parliamentary elections, Manev is convinced that hope remains the prevailing sentiment among Bulgarians in Australia as they choose the person who will represent their country to the world. In his view, that person should be:

“A person with authority. Someone who represents all Bulgarians and whose visits and meetings make us proud to be Bulgarian and proud of the results they achieve. As a full member of the European Union, Bulgaria should have a significant place on the world map, rather than being spoken of only as the poorest member of the European community.”

English: R. Petkova