Donkey is running for mayor

A real donkey is a candidate for Mayor of Bulgaria's Black Sea city of Varna in the October 23 local elections.

Marko, aka the Donkey is nominated by a marginal Bulgarian political party called "Society for New Bulgaria", which presented its candidate to the media in Varna on Wednesday, BGNES reported.

According to the party, the Donkey is "the major competitor" of incumbent Varna Mayor Kiril Yordanov for the position. Yordanov, widely viewed as an establishment candidate, formerly a candidate of the Bulgarian Socialist Party, has recently changed sides, and is now running as a nominee of the ruling center-right party GERB.

The Donkey will lead a "positive campaign aimed at demonstrating that there no difference between him and incumbent Mayor Kiril Yordanov, when it comes to obeying the orders of the master, Prime Minister Boyko Borisov," the party members said."But there are also several major differences. 

Unlike the other mayor candidates and politicians, the Donkey has a strong character, doesn't steal, doesn't lie, and gets work done," explained Angel Dyankov, head of the campaign headquarters of the Society for New Bulgaria party, as cited by Darik Radio.

The party has already received a registration with the Central Electoral Commission and the Municipal Electoral Commission for the October 23 elections.

Its Varna Mayor candidate Marko was picked for a number of reasons – including because donkeys are said to be the second domesticated animal after the dog, but also because the particular Donkey was born on November 10, 1989 – the date that marked the end of Bulgaria's communist regime and the dictatorship of Todor Zhivkov.

That also means that the Donkey is of age sufficient to run for mayor (Bulgaria's legislation requires that a candidate be at least 20 years old).

"Marko's life is difficult because the green areas in the Bulgarian sea capital are disappearing," Dyankov said.

"Let the residents of Varna draw the line and decide who has more positive qualities – the Donkey or the incumbent Mayor," urged Doychin Dimitrov, a member of the Society for New Bulgaria.