Bulgaria Mayor Cries Foul over Pre-Election Trick, Goes to Starsbourg

The mayor of the town of Pleven, Northern Bulgaria, one of the very few right-wing politicians to have tasted the joy of re-election, has threatened to sue the country in Strasbourg over what he sees as a dirty trick by his rivals.

Nayden Zelenogorski, who will run in October for his fourth term as mayor on the ticket of the Blue Coalition, plans to file a suit in the Human Rights court in Strasbourg after the Central Elections Commission registered a coalition, which uses and abuses his name.

He announced his plan after the commission dismissed his appeal against the registration of the coalition "For Zelenogorski", which has nothing to do with his candidacy.

The mayor disagrees that his name can be used by a coalition in which he does not participate because it might mislead voters. Zelenogorski argues that he is the only Bulgarian to have this surname.

"I am the only man with the surname Zelenogorski in the country. God forbid to live in a country where people can use all possible tricks to abuse one’s name and dignity. If this happens to me today, tomorrow it may happen to each of you. That’s why I will sue the state,” added Zelenogorski.

According to the commission however it had no formal reason to turn down the coalition's application for registration since it was the only one with this name.

Nayden Zelenogorski, who was backed by a broad coalition of right-wing parties in the local elections in October 2007, won confidently with 57% of the votes in the first round.

This was the third time that Nayden Zelenogorski came out as winner in local elections, but the first time that he secured his victory right away.

The Socialists, whose candidate had so far managed to make it to the run-offs, said the election was marred by vote-buying and challenged in court Zelenogorski's re-election, but with no success.

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