Bulgarian president takes first step to re-election

SOFIA, Oct 23 (Reuters) Incumbent Georgi Parvanov won the first round of Bulgarian presidential elections, but low turnout forced a run-off against a nationalist opponent who fought against the country's drive to join the European Union.

Official results gave Parvanov 60.8 percent with 45 percent of ballots counted yesterday. An exit poll earlier gave him 63.7 percent.

In second place, with 22.5 percent, was Volen Siderov, the leader of the xenophobic Attack party, whose campaign targeted Bulgaria's large ethnic-Turkish and Roma gypsy minorities.

The vote bolsters support for Parvanov's ruling Socialist allies and puts him closer to his goal of leading Bulgaria into the EU on January 1. If he wins the second round, he will be the first Bulgarian president to win a second term.

''Support for us is support for our policy of unifying the nation,'' Parvanov told a news conference. ''This is a good basis for achieving final victory in a week's time.'' But voter disillusionment over poverty and the slow pace of reform produced a turnout of only 42.5 per cent, results showed.

Under Bulgarian law, at least 50 percent of voters must cast ballots for a candidate to win in the first round, so Parvanov and Siderov must face off in an Oct. 29 showdown.

Parvanov, a 49-year-old historian, is admired by many in the country of 7.8 million for raising its profile abroad on the way to joining NATO in 2004 and the EU next year.

But his critics say he has failed to push successive cabinets to clamp down on high-level corruption and organised crime, and to raise living standards that will be the EU's lowest, with average wages of 160 euros (202 dollar) a month.

''I see a result that shows disapproval towards the current government,'' Siderov said.

The result meant right-of-centre opposition parties, who failed to field a unified candidate, would be absent from a presidential run-off for the first time since the fall of communism in 1989.

''PRO-EUROPEAN CHOICE'' ''I voted for Parvanov because he had a very successful first term,'' said pensioner Tsvetanka Botcheva, 65. ''He has taken us into NATO and the European Union.'' Analysts say Parvanov uses his powers -- he can veto laws, appoint cabinets and name figures to secret services and other bodies -- to widen the influence of his mostly ceremonial post.

Although he casts himself as non-partisan, he is seen as the architect of the Socialists' ruling coalition and the guiding hand keeping them and their centrists and ethnic-Turkish partners together since divisive 2005 elections.

''This is a very categorical pro-European choice,'' said Socialist Prime Minister Sergei Stanishev.

Siderov has promised to ban Bulgaria's ruling ethnic-Turkish party, revise sales of state assets and organise referendums on issues like Washington's plans to use military bases in Bulgaria and Sofia's participation in international organisations.

Parvanov said he understood Attack's supporters were disappointed that improvements had come at a snail's pace in the 17 years since the fall of communism, but he denounced voting based on ethnic or religious terms.

''It is a threat, not because of what Europe will say, but because of ... the situation in the country,'' he said.

REUTERS PDS KP0457