Podcast in English
Text size
Bulgarian National Radio © 2025 All Rights Reserved

Early parliamentary elections - 27 October 2024

A pediatrician is the chairman of the only polling station in Kuwait

Dr. Tsvetan Tsenkov believes that the way out of the situation is rules in politics, coalition culture among our politicians, long-term strategic policies

D-r Tsvetan Tsenkov
Photo: Private archive

Completely calm and normal, according to the law, the election day is taking place in the only open polling station in Kuwait. The Bulgarian community in the Arab country numbers about 300-350 people, mostly highly educated specialists in the fields of medicine, education, exact sciences and sports. One of them is pediatrician Dr. Tsvetan Tsenkov, who is the chairman of the polling station located in the Bulgarian embassy in Kuwait.


27 Bulgarians living in Kuwait have exercised their right to vote by noon, he tells us with the clarification that the days off there are Friday and Saturday. Sunday is the first working day of the new week and more voters are expected in the later afternoon when our compatriots finish work. In the June parliamentary elections, 58 people voted. It is possible that today they will be more.

"The hope is as always, it remains the same - law and order in the country, rules for work. The fatigue was really noticeable, there are a lot of hesitations, a lot of people seem to be coming to vote out of inertia only. In recent years, they know that no regular government is formed after the elections. In practice, no programs, no strategies can be set in motion. So, in practice, we are left with the hope that at least this time a regular government will be formed. Otherwise, there is no way – whatever hopes we have, whatever proposals we have, they cannot happen without a regular parliament and government."


Dr. Tsenkov has been living and working in Kuwait for 26 years now. And while in Bulgaria the statistics report every year the threatening lack of doctors, and in particular pediatricians, he is categorical that there are qualified professionals, the legislation and administrative regulations that have not been updated for a long time are driving them away from the Motherland.

What is the cure for our sick political system today?

"In my opinion, the electoral legislation is good, because I already have experience participating in election commissions. It is not bad. Politics - there should be rules for it. Politicians should have a coalition culture, be able to communicate with each other and have strategic issues, five-six in number, which, like in many normal countries, should not change, regardless of individual parties and governments," shares Dr. Tsvetan Tsenkov in an interview with Radio Bulgaria.

Photos: private archive


Последвайте ни и в Google News Showcase, за да научите най-важното от деня!
Listen to the daily news from Bulgaria presented in "Bulgaria Today" podcast, available in Spotify.

More from category

"Strasbourg Calling" EP Vice President Sabine Verheyen: The European Media Freedom Act has nothing to do with censorship

The deadline for the start of the implementation of the new European Media Freedom Act (FEMA) is fast approaching - August this year. "Some Member States are already quite far in implementing the European Media Freedom Act because some of..

published on 7/9/25 2:41 PM

Now that we are officially in the Eurozone, are Bulgarians still worried?

It’s official—Bulgaria is now the 21st country in the eurozone. From 1 January 2026, the euro will become the legal tender, although levs will still be accepted for another month. Bulgaria becomes the 21st member of the Eurozone “I think..

published on 7/9/25 1:02 PM

"Strasbourg Calling" Before the report on North Macedonia and the red light "Macedonian identity and language"

"What we have let slip, we have let slip over the last 20 years, not yesterday or the day before." This was stated to the Bulgarian National Radio by Ivaylo Valchev, MEP from the European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR), before today's vote in..

published on 7/9/25 12:15 PM