Bulgarians to vote in 3rd parliamentary election of the year

By VESELIN TOSHKOV
Associated Press

SOFIA, Bulgaria (AP) — Voters go to the polls in Bulgaria for the third time in seven months this weekend after no party secured enough support in the previous two elections in April and July to form a stable government. More than 6.7 million Bulgarians are eligible to vote not only to break the political deadlock that has badly hurt the economy of the European Union’s poorest member country, but also to elect a new president — a largely ceremonial post. Pollsters expect many voters to stay home because of growing concern amid rocketing numbers of COVID-19 infections and deaths. The most recent polls show that the former ruling GERB party is likeliest to finish first.