Burgas Mayor Dimitar Nikolov denies presidential bid to focus on Eurovision 2027

Burgas Mayor Dimitar Nikolov has officially denied rumors that he will run in the upcoming October presidential elections, stating he will focus entirely on hosting the Eurovision Song Contest 2027.

Nikolov emphasized that he has made a pledge not to engage in politics until May 15 and intends to dedicate his energy to the logistics, infrastructure, and hospitality required for the international music festival. He noted that his team has already begun improving local sites and that he will work closely with the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) and Bulgarian National Television (BNT) once guidelines are released in September.

However, Boyko Borisov, leader of the GERB party, claimed that the decision to award Burgas the hosting rights was a strategic move to remove Nikolov from the presidential race. Borisov suggested that Nikolov, who enjoys high public trust, was a potential winner, but the massive logistical demands of Eurovision will now occupy his attention instead of political campaigning.