Zahari Geogiev, leader of the Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) in Plovdiv and candidate-mayor for Coalition for Plovdiv, has announced he would step down as leader of BSP after losing the municipal elections.

"I lost this election and my party didn't win, hence my decision to pass on the baton as leader of BSP," Georgiev said.

Georgiev said he was surprised by the results of the elections. He had not expected Slavcho Atanasov, who was backed by Citizens for the European Development of Bulgaria (GERB) and Internal Macedonian Revolutionary (IMR), to win in the first round.

"I expected a second round. But life doesn't end with these elections. Plovdiv will have the leaders it elected," he said.

About the 62 per cent who didn't vote in Plovdiv, Georgiev said that this was either a punitive vote for the current leadership or a sign of indifference to what happens in the city.