General Javier Solana is expected to submit a report on the talks with all prospective candidates at a NATO summit meeting in early December, which is to set the agenda for next year's NATO summit on the alliance's enlargement. Slovenia has a good chance, however, alongside the Czech Republic, Poland, and Hungary. They are the current leader of the region, Igor Smirnov, and Vladimir Malakhov, manager of the Tiraspol Mestprombyt Association. The deadline for submitting supporting signatures, as required by the electoral law, was 24 October. Bulgarian Business Bloc leader Georges Ganchev, a populist candidate offering an alternative to those disillusioned with both the BSP and the Union of Democratic Forces, is close behind Marazov.
Today is the last day of the election campaign.
Democrats will govern in 37 municipalities and the Socialists in four. According to the commission, run-offs will take place between Democratic and Socialist candidates in 22 municipalities. This material was reprinted with permission of the Open Media Research Institute, a nonprofit organization with research offices in Prague, Czech Republic. An HRI Project. All Rights Reserved.