Bulgarian border villages report political neglect and low voter turnout

Residents in small Bulgarian villages near the Turkish border, such as Leyarovo and Stroyno, report a lack of engagement from political campaigns. In Leyarovo, the smallest village in the Stradzha municipality, many houses are abandoned, and the few remaining residents struggle with depopulation and a lack of basic services.

Voters expressed significant distrust toward politicians, with some citing disillusionment and others refusing to participate due to the transition to machine voting. Additionally, the physical distance to the nearest polling stations poses a barrier to participation. In the Elhovo municipality, early data indicated very low voter turnout during the first round of elections.