After checking up 98% of protocols of the polling stations’ committees, Rossen Plevneliev obtains 52.5% of the votes in the runoff round of presidential elections. Ivailo Kalfin receives 47.5%, Central Elections Committee (CEC) spokesperson Ralitsa Negentsova announced.

Plevneliev: Bulgaria's Presidency will be "center-forward"

Bulgaria's Presidency will play the role of a center-forward for the country's national priorities, promised President-Elect Rosen Plevneliev.

"We are declaring our will for a modern statehood and for speeding up the European development of Bulgaria," Plevneliev declared at his first news conference as President-Elect in the election night.

Plevneliev clinched the Presidency with 53.8% of the votes on Sunday vs. 46.2% of for his opponent Ivaylo Kalfin from the Bulgarian Socialist Party.

"We understood clearly that politicians are success when they build trust. I hope that the leaders of the other parties will realize that the aggression and the past don't bring victories. Future and European development bring future," vowed the 47-year-old former construction entrepreneur turned technocratic politician.

"Bulgaria will have an active, dynamic Presidency with open doors for civic institutions and regions. We want the Presidency to become a center for priorities and solutions,' Plevneliev declared, adding the Presidency will be accumulating know-how and non-partisanship.

"We've made a commitment to work solely for the unity of the Bulgarian nation," he explained, promising wide-ranging reforms in the retirement system, healthcare, judiciary, the state administration, and the introduction of e-government.

Rosen Asenov Plevneliev was born on 14th May 1964. He is a Bulgarian entrepreneur and politician linked to the ruling right-wing GERB party but he is not its member.

From 27 July 2009 till 9 September 2011 he was the minister of regional development in the government of Prime Minister Boyko Borissov. From 4 September 2011 he officially became GERB’s presidential candidate.

Rosen Plevneliev has worked with German entrepreneurs and has founded a number of companies which run two of the largest investment projects in Bulgaria – Business Park Sofia and Residential Park Sofia.

During his mandate as minister he completed several key national infrastructure projects. Plevneliev is married with three children. He speaks English and German.