Bulgaria’s Svetlio Vitkov: rock star for president in October elections?

Svetlio and the Legends sing ‘My Arse is Hurting’ or ‘Boli me gyza’ (live at Veliko Tarnovo in central Bulgaria, 2011) , by (cc) geni333/ Youtube

He’s got a long way to go (precisely 7, 000 signatures), but Svetlio Vitkov is running in the Bulgarian presidential elections in October, as ‘nominated’ by an internet users association committee… The online portal e-vestnik predicts that the vocalist of the rock band Hipodil, 40, could sweep to power at a time of widespread disillusionment in politics: ‘The generation of 20 to 40-year-olds, disgusted with today’s politicians, will undoubtedly vote for the revolutionary with his obscene songs.’ Could Bulgaria be inspired by Iceland’s ‘Best’ party, made up of comedians, artists and singers? In the same month as the party’s Jon Gnarr became mayor of Reykjavik, in May 2010, Russian rock star Yury Shevchuk interrogated prime minister Vladimir Putin about the brutal blocking of peaceful demonstrations at a charity event. Two days later Russians joined ‘strategy 31’ protests for their right to gather. Back in Bulgaria, could Svetoslav succeed Georgi Parvanov in January 2012? In any case, his cheeky campaign against former European commissioner Meglena Kuneva promises to be fun

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