Key facts
- Acting President Iliana Iotova and ex-caretaker Prime Minister Andrey Gyurov are leading candidates in Bulgaria's presidential election.
- The election's significance has increased due to recent drone attacks in the Black Sea.
- Polls indicate Iotova has 41% of the vote and Gyurov has 28%.
- A runoff election will be held on November 1 if no candidate secures a majority.
Bulgarians are voting in a presidential election on Sunday, with the race taking on heightened importance following recent drone attacks in the Black Sea. Acting President Iliana Iotova and former caretaker Prime Minister Andrey Gyurov are the frontrunners among 27 candidates. The drone strikes, which killed an estimated two dozen seafarers, have prompted calls for increased maritime security and raised concerns about the war in Ukraine extending to Bulgarian waters. Prime Minister Rumen Radev suggested the attacks benefited Russia, while both leading presidential candidates condemned the strikes.