Rightist formation Democrats for Strong Bulgaria (DSB) would refrain from following the advice of the European People’s Party (EPP) leader Hans-Gert Poettering to support incumbent President Georgi Purvanov during the second round of presidential elections.

Poettering said earlier this week that Purvanov carried out democratic and pro-EU policies and needed the support of all formations, though he was former leader of the Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP).

Purvanov would face ultra-nationalist movement Ataka leader Volen Siderov during the second round of elections on October 29.

DSB could not follow the advice as in the second elections round Bulgarians were not forced to decide between ‘a democratic president and a xenophobe’ since Purvanov was also responsible for ethnic intolerance, an official DSB statement said.

To vote for Purvanov would force DSB supporters to compromise their beliefs, DSB said. Bulgarians were faced with a dilemma during the second round of elections, the party statement said as quoted by Bulgarian National Radio.

Photo courtesy of dsb.bg