MOSCOW, November 2 (HS/RIA Novosti) - Iliana Iotova, who won the presidential election in Bulgaria, may become another conversation partner for Russia within the European Union, someone who publicly advocates for negotiations rather than continued confrontation, international affairs expert Alexey Chepa told RIA Novosti on Monday.

Incumbent Bulgarian Vice President Iliana Iotova and vice-presidential candidate Kiril Valchev are winning the presidential runoff in Bulgaria, securing 57.6% of the vote with 98.43% of the ballots counted.

For Moscow, this creates an additional opportunity to raise the issue of a diplomatic settlement to the Ukrainian conflict directly within the European political agenda. Russia gains another interlocutor within the EU, one who speaks publicly about the need for negotiations, rather than focusing exclusively on the continued confrontation, Chepa said.

Iotova’s victory serves as an important political signal, not just for Sofia, but for all of Europe, the expert also said. For Russia, the significance of this result lies primarily in the fact that the position held by politicians who advocate for restoring dialogue with Moscow persists and gains further legitimacy within the EU, he added.

Chepa recalled that Iotova had consistently opposed any further involvement of Bulgaria in providing military support to Ukraine and believed it was necessary to restore diplomatic channels of communication with the Russian leadership. Her desire to conduct such a dialogue not only on a bilateral level but also on behalf of the entire EU is particularly significant, he said.

In a broader geopolitical dimension, Bulgaria occupies a strategic position on the Black Sea, is a member of the EU and NATO, and maintains historical, cultural and economic ties with Russia. Therefore, the stance of its leadership carries weight in discussions regarding European security, energy, regional cooperation and the future of relations between Russia and EU countries, Chepa said.

The second round of the presidential election took place in Bulgaria on Sunday, with citizens choosing between the two candidates who had received the most votes in the first round.

---------------

Hindusthan Samachar / Indrani Sarkar