Two polling stations have been set up in Poland for Sunday's presidential election. One is located at the Bulgarian Embassy in the capital, Warsaw, and the other in Kraków, the country's second-largest city. Our compatriot Marinela Koleva has been living in Kraków for eight years. Today, she is serving on the local election commission. “I have taken part in organizing Bulgarian elections here several times, and I can say that, compared with previous elections, the voting process is proceeding very calmly and smoothly”, Marinela Koleva told Radio Bulgaria.
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“Everyone is quite positive, and we get the chance to talk to some of them. Some of our compatriots are simply curious to see how election day unfolds at a polling station abroad. I see hope in many of the people who come to vote willingly. I wouldn’t say they feel obliged to vote; at least here, there is genuine interest in the election process. We also see quite a lot of young people. Some are voting for the first time and come motivated and eager to exercise their right to vote, which I think is wonderful. I believe the hope lies with young people, and we simply need to give them the opportunity to realize their full potential. I have great hopes for the younger generation.”
Young Bulgarians in Poland want a president who stands up for Bulgaria’s interests and is not afraid to take a stand, Marinela Koleva told Radio Bulgaria.
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“They want someone who will stand up for their interests, who is educated and well-informed, can speak eloquently at international events, represent the country with dignity and, as I said, is not afraid to express their views clearly and openly.”
As for the campaign and the messages put forward by the 27 presidential tickets, she is certain that not all of them managed to reach Bulgarians in Poland.
“I can name three or four presidential tickets that had clear communication channels. I don’t watch television. I get most of my information online, where I watched several lengthy interviews with some of the candidates. I expected to see interviews with others, but they never took place, which I think worked to their disadvantage. I also expected to see a debate between the leading candidates, but unfortunately, that never happened. Let’s hope there will be a debate ahead of a possible runoff”, said Marinela Koleva.
In her view, a debate between the two presidential tickets advancing to the runoff on November 1 would have a positive impact on the election results.
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“People would have the opportunity to hear directly from the two presidential candidates and see how they think and respond to questions in real time. I imagine there would be some tough questions, too. Voters would be able to see how the candidates speak and react under pressure, and whether they can respond promptly. I believe their answers would be very important and could even be decisive for some voters.”
Marinela expects voter turnout in Kraków to be lower in a potential runoff than it was today.
''People are enthusiastic now and are eager to vote, but I think that momentum will fade by next week and voter turnout will be lower''.