"I have been living in Sofia for 12 years. I have had the right to vote for several years now, and I have always used it," says Rajmonda Duka, who takes part in elections in both Bulgaria and her native Albania. “Only when a person has voted, they are entitled to claim their rights."

"According to me, election processes in Bulgaria and Albania are very similar, as procedures and voting rules are almost identical. As you know, there is a Bulgarian minority in Albania and I am part of it. I come from the region of Golo Bardo and that is why I had the right to apply for Bulgarian citizenship, especially since I have lived in Sofia permanently for years. I believe that every citizen should vote. They should support the candidate whom they think could do the most for the benefit of the country or a particular town."

Here is the opinion of Jonathan Taylor from Britain who chose Bulgaria to become his home 8 years ago.

He believes that it would have been appropriate for political parties in Bulgaria to keep some contact with foreigners living here, to encourage them to vote and to participate in the political process in some way. Otherwise, it seems that politicians simply do not want foreigners to vote.

However, Jonathan is pleased with the job of the mayor of the village where he lives. He is honest with people and dedicated to his work, but these were just some of the reasons for his re-election in the first round. The solution to a long-standing problem of the village of Krushevo also brought him many votes on election day.

Although he has encountered a lot of problems in Bulgaria, Jonathan is optimistic and believes that he did not make a mistake when he decided to live in Bulgaria. He and his wife are happy and support any action that would make the village of Krushevo a better place to live in so that their neighbors stay there all year long.

English: Alexander Markov