Bulgaria Ex-President Sees No Legal Obstacle to Running Again

Former Bulgarian President Georgi Parvanov has said there is no constitutional limit to the number of terms a head of state can serve.

In an interview with private Kanal 3 TV station, he has argued he can be "a successful President, just as [he was]," but has stopped short of declaring he will run.

Parvanov served as President between 2002 and 2012, for two terms in a row. Under the Constitution, it is impossible to be Bulgaria's head of state for more two consecutive terms, and he did not run in 2011, with the new candidate of his socialist party BSP losing to Rosen Plevneliev.

He has added that it is only the Constitutional Court that could uphold or reject his claims, but also that it would not be clear until April whether he or someone from his party will be endorsed as a candidate.

With the presidential election due in October, Parvanov has not ruled out that his left-wing ABV party, which has a minister in the government, could endorse a candidacy jointly with another political organization.

Parvanov has recalled his contribution as a President to Bulgaria's democracy, citing the 28 cases when he vetoed Parliament bills, with lawmakers having accepted a third of them over the 10 years of his terms.