Bulgaria votes for president, incumbent favoured

SOFIA, Oct 29 (Reuters) Bulgarians heading to vote in a presidential runoff today look set to hand incumbent Georgi Parvanov a second five-year term and defeat an ultra-nationalist who has opposed the country's European Union entry.

Parvanov faces Volen Siderov, leader of the radical Attack party, who diplomats and mainstream parties say pursues xenophobic, undemocratic and anti-minority policies.

The former head of the ruling Socialist party, Parvanov won 64 per cent in a first round but turnout was below the 50 per cent needed for him to avoid a runoff. Analysts expect him to easily retain the mostly ceremonial post.

But Siderov's relatively strong showing has exposed a patchy reform record under Parvanov and forced the president to fend off criticism that he has not pushed successive governments to tackle poverty, high-level graft and organised crime.

''We do not vote for the road we have already covered but for the path we are about to traverse,'' Parvanov said on Friday.

''It would be a reckless adventure to start afresh now.'' Although Parvanov casts himself as independent, analysts say if he wins he will boost support for the Socialist-led coalition he helped create after divisive 2005 elections.

Surveys show most Bulgarians admire the 49-year-old historian for raising Bulgaria's image on its path to joining NATO in 2004 and its invitation to join the EU on Jan. 1.

But voters are frustrated. Purchasing power is lower than before the 1989 fall of communism and, despite economic growth expected to reach 6 per cent this year, nominal average monthly wages of 160 euros (3) will be the EU's lowest.

Analysts see turnout at below the 42 per cent of the first round, but say voters will still shun Siderov, a former journalist who has pledged to block foreign influence from the IMF, the EU, NATO, the United States and other bodies.

''There's no way I'm going to vote for a lunatic. That's why I'll go for Parvanov,'' said driver Georgi Tsingliev, 52.

Siderov rejects xenophobe and anti-minority labels but has railed against Bulgaria's large Roma and ethnic-Turkish populations. He also accuses Parvanov, the Socialists, and their ruling ethnic Turkish partners of ignoring state interests to enrich themselves.

''On October 29 we face the choice of letting the mafia rule us for five more years or eliminating it,'' Siderov said on Friday.

Voting starts at 6 am (0930 IST) and closes at 7 pm (2230 IST). Exit polls are expected at 7:30 pm (2300 IST) and official results a few hours later.

Reuters DKS VP0525