
Nadezhda Mihaylova, leader of the United Democratic Forces, announced she would run for Sofia mayor in a surprise move on Tuesday. Photo by Yuliana Nikolova (novinite.com)
Bulgaria's Prime Minister Simeon Saxe-Coburd hailed Thursday rightist Union of Democratic Forces (UDF) leader Nadezhda Mihaylova who was nominated for the post of Sofia mayor earlier on the same day.
Mihaylova deserved to be nominated, the prime minister said.
UDF's nomination was long awaited after earlier Mihaylova ousted initially selected mayor candidate Plamen Oresharski over an "unallowed" meeting with Bulgarian business tycoon Vassil Bozhkov. There was also talk that former party leader and ex-Prime Minister Ivan Kostov might be nominated as a new candidate for the post. Mihaylova even claimed that her predecessor would make a splendid Sofia mayor candidate.
However, on Tuesday UDF spokesman Nikolay Mladenov said that the party selected a new "surprising but strong" candidate to run for Sofia mayor.