In brief
Bulgarian National Television will broadcast a single nationwide debate between presidential candidates Iliana Iotova and Andrey Gurov on Thursday at 9 p.m. The moderated discussion will cover national priorities and candidate platforms, following their first‑round race where Iotova’s ticket earned roughly 34.8 % of votes and Gurov’s about 31.9 %. The event precedes the November 1 runoff and will be available on BNT 1, BNT 4, the broadcaster’s website and Facebook live.
BNT has confirmed that its sole nationwide debate on the 2026 Bulgarian presidential race will be broadcast live on Thursday at 9 p.m. to feature presidential candidates Iliana Iotova and Andrey Gurov. According to BTA, the discussion will be moderated by Poli Zlatareva and will focus on national issues where the presidential institution plays a key role, as well as the candidates’ policies, views and values.
BTA further stated that viewers can watch the debate live on BNT 1 and BNT 4, as well as on the broadcaster’s news website and its Facebook page, ensuring broad accessibility across platforms.
The debate comes after the first round of the national election on October 25, in which Iotova’s ticket with Kiril Valchev received 34.759 % of the votes and Gurov’s ticket with Georgi Kandev came close second with 31.952 %. The event is a key moment for voters ahead of the runoff scheduled for November 1.
Both candidates and organizers appear to treat the debate as a pivotal opportunity for voters to hear directly from the two leading contenders, with BTA reporting no competing claims about date, time or format.
