BULGARIANS VOTE IN SECOND ROUND OF PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION

SOFIA, NOVEMBER 1 /SRNA/ - Bulgaria is holding an election today in which voters will choose the country's seventh president, and they are choosing between Iliana Iotova, who is serving as Bulgaria's acting president, and Andrey Gyurov, a former caretaker prime minister and former governor of the Bulgarian National Bank.

In the first round of voting, held seven days ago, none of the 27 presidential candidates secured the support needed to win outright, the BTA news agency reported.

Almost 6.6 million people are eligible to vote in the election, and 9,373 polling stations will be open from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., the Bulgarian Central Election Commission said.

Voters will also cast ballots for vice president at the same time.

Iliana Iotova's running mate for vice president is Kiril Valchev. They are backed by the ruling Progressive Bulgaria party and the Socialist Party.

Andrey Gyurov's running mate for vice president is Georgi Kandev, and they are backed by pro-Western opposition forces.

The Central Election Commission will announce the final results of the presidential and vice-presidential elections within three days of the vote.