Политика

The previous presidential elections ran in two rounds - on October 27 and November 2, 1996. The election was the final of a disputed presidential campaign, during which all major contenders came to Velingrad. After meeting with Velingradians Petar Stoyanov got on a black BMW with the promise that he would return here, but now as president and his forecast is coming true.

For the Municipality of Velingrad the results of the first round are: Petar Stoyanov, ODS - 9773 votes, 53%
Ivan Marazov, BSP - 4872 votes, 26%
Georges Ganchev, BBB - 2678 votes, 14%
In the neighboring municipality of Rakitovo, the percentages are similar as Georges Ganchev makes a personal record, winning 20% of the vote.
The first round in the municipality of Velingrad involved 18,062 voters from then entitled to vote 32,758 people.
In the second round, the activity is greater. For the UDF candidate (at that time in the UDF were UDF, People's Union and MRF) Petar Stoyanov voted 13,689 people - 65.75% of the voters as in the villages of the municipality the percentage for him was 90 (!). For the BSP candidate, Ivan Marazov cast the ballot 7134 voters or 34.25% of those who voted.