Bulgarian Ex-President Slams Rulers for Saying Obama Likes Them

Former Bulgarian President Georgi Parvanov (2002-2012) has slammed the ruling centrist-right GERB's statement that US President Barack Obama has endorsed Prime Minister Boyko Borisov.

"If I was in Bulgaria, I would vote for Boyko Borisov," Obama reportedly said after during a meeting with the Bulgarian PM earlier in December, according to Foreign Minister Nikolay Mladenov.

According to Parvanov, Mladenov made a "diplomatic blunder" by quoting Obama's alleged statement, since it could be interpreted as interference in the country's internal affairs.

"One has to be far away from Bulgaria in order to be a supporter of GERB," Parvanov also commented in an interview for the Trud daily.

He also noted that Borisov's trip to the US was not particularly successful, since the two previous Bulgarian Prime Ministers were similarly praised during their visits to Washington.