A pro-Russian former journalist and a pro-European economist are vying for the presidency in Bulgaria.

Bulgaria holds the first round of its presidential elections this Sunday to select the seventh head of state since the fall of communism in 1989. The contest features a race between the current interim president, Iliana Yotova, a former journalist described as pro-Russian, and former interim prime minister Andrey Gyurov, an economist with a pro-European stance. The two candidates are vying to advance to a second and decisive round of voting.

The electoral process is taking place amidst a climate of national division regarding the conflict in Ukraine. The country is experiencing heightened tension following recent attacks, contributing to a sense of growing nervousness across the Balkan nation as voters head to the polls.