Iliyana Yotova: I voted for a working National Assembly and care for the vulnerable

19.04.2026 | Bulgaria

President Iliana Yotova commented after her vote that she voted for a quickly working National Assembly, a strong government and care for the most vulnerable. She emphasized the need for a normal budget and an active position in international politics.

Снимка от Unknown authorUnknown author, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.5 bg)

I voted so that there would soon be a working National Assembly, its leadership would be elected quickly, we would not witness again the haggling and delays, as it was in previous times, there would be a quick and strong government, because the problems are not waiting, said to the media President Iliana Yotova, after exercising her right to vote by machine.

In her words, as soon as possible there should be a normal, working, real regular budget of the country, because entire systems are stalling at the moment.

We need to think about the income of the weakest. I voted, in addition to an economically developed, high-tech Bulgaria, and for care for the most vulnerable people, the president said. All this timelessness, which we have witnessed for two years now, has affected them the worst. They barely make ends meet and this is what my meetings in the country show in the last two years, added Yotova.

We must ensure that the government has a strong and influential voice among our European partners, in our European family, the president said. According to her, the situations are delicate on an international level. We have to emerge from this crisis - together, said Iliana Yotova.

The National Assembly will first have to be constituted, and I will be its guest if they invite me. I will try to start creating the mandates even faster, the president said.

She said that she expects a very high voter turnout and called on all Bulgarians to vote massively today. Let everyone make their choice, but let's show that we are citizens and we don't care how we will live.

According to the head of state, the assessment of whether the Ministry of Internal Affairs has done well in the fight against purchased votes will be made on the day after the elections. Indeed, a lot of effort has been made, only that schemes built for decades can hardly be destroyed in a month, said Yotova.

She said that she had a small technical problem during the vote. The paper jammed something, but everything became normal in seconds. I have always had faith in machine voting, since we have been voting with machines, I always vote with a machine, said Yotova. In connection with the problems with machines on election day, the president said: "technique, I do not think in any way that it is a question of intent".