Kostov (left), Gyurov (right)
Former Bulgarian Prime Minister Ivan Kostov publicly endorsed Andrey Gyurov as his preferred presidential candidate from what he described as Bulgaria’s democratic community ahead of the upcoming presidential elections.
Speaking to Bulgarian National Television, Kostov praised Gyurov’s performance as acting prime minister and argued that the democratic electorate is not defined by divisions among political parties, but by active citizens who continue to mobilize publicly. “These people are the vanguard of our society,” Kostov said.
He dismissed concerns that Bulgaria could drift away from its Western orientation, insisting that the country’s deep integration into NATO and the European Union makes such a scenario unrealistic. According to him, the more important challenge for future political campaigns is finding a message capable of reaching younger voters.
Kostov also expressed support for the current government while warning that serious reforms inevitably carry political costs. “Every major reform is not forgiven,” he said, reflecting on his own time in office during the difficult transformation years of the 1990s. He argued that politicians willing to confront entrenched problems often sacrifice their own political future in the process.
