Bulgarian TV showman says he will found a political party
After 19 years on the air, Bulgarian television showman Slavi Trifonov’s nightly broadcast came to an end, with an announcement that he is to found a political party.
The July 31 announcement came just less than three months before Bulgaria is due to go to the polls in mayoral and municipal elections.
Trifonov and his show were the initiators of a national referendum in 2016, which asked three questions.
One was whether MPs should be elected by majoritarian voting in two rounds, the second the introduction of compulsory voting, and the third whether the state subsidy for political parties and coalitions should be cut to one lev per valid vote.
Initially, there were three other questions, but the Constitutional Court ruled them invalid.
The questions went on to the ballot after Trifonov presented a petition for the referendum with more than 672 000 signatures. An investigation by officials found about 100 000 signatures were invalid.
To continue reading, please click here.
(Archive photo: Trifonov and members of his team present the petition for the referendum in 2016)
