I always vote, Nadya Stoyanova, who is part of the Bulgarian community in New England, tells Radio Bulgaria. She is an election volunteer and since 2013 has been actively involved in the organization of the election process in the Boston area. However, the current early parliamentary vote finds her in London:

"I think it is exciting to participate in a definite way in the governance of the country. Certainly the difficulties that Bulgaria is going through at the moment are very serious, but the times we live in are also complicated. That is why the opportunity to personally and directly participate in governing the country by voting for me does not bring fatigue, but moral satisfaction," Nadya told Radio Bulgaria. 

Although we had a sluggish election campaign in the country, our compatriot managed to navigate the messages of the political parties and found her representation among them:

"With election cycles speeding up, the messages don't change much, and that has its positive side, because everyone can see the sustainability in the policies, the responsibility that the parties want to take. And if radical changes happen every 6 months, it would was more worrying, because it would show other problems in the Bulgarian political system, which, thank God, are not found very often so far."

Our compatriot shares observations that political parties have a stronger desire to reach the voters, through social networks, but also with organized events, personal meetings on the spot, because "Sofia is not Bulgaria". And in the complex world in which we live, Bulgaria has its worthy place, ensured by our historical past - not only the distant one:

"Bulgaria has experienced many severe conflicts with its neighbors due to the distribution of the Bulgarian people outside the borders of the Bulgarian state. And yet our statesmen have managed to achieve peace, to allow Bulgarian citizens to send their children in the best schools during the National Revival period, to make it possible that Bulgaria has been perceived as the Switzerland of the Balkans at the beginning of the 20th century.

I am convinced that Bulgarian citizens, wherever they are in the world, appreciate the fact that with a short flight they can move to any point within the European Union and start their lives anew, to educate their children there in absolute equality with other nations, members of the European Union. Or in terms of this collective defense organization – NATO – which gives protection in this moment of absolute global uncertainty."

"Everybody is excited about American politics, and those who have American citizenship can with the same zeal and confidence determine their position and thus participate in the future of the governance of the United States. The role of world policeman is certainly part of America's past, but its leading role in supporting democracies around the world, so that self-governance leads to a more sustainable and peaceful existence, cannot be lost," Nadya Stoyanova believes.

Being strongly involved in the organization of the voting process abroad in recent years and drawing a parallel between the elections in the two countries - Bulgaria and the USA - Nadya Stoyanova says that there is still much to be desired in terms of the collaboration with the Central Election Commission. "We send out questions, but we don't always get answers," she said, and recommended that a trial vote by mail be done as soon as possible. There is still much to be desired in terms of the training of election volunteers abroad. The Central Election Commission took a positive step in this direction during the previous election in June this year, when online training seminars were organized. "Unfortunately, in these polls, this was not done, probably because there was no time," Nadia Stoyanova assumes, ending with a message:

"We all carry Bulgaria in our hearts and one of the moments in which we can prove it is precisely on election day. Therefore, regardless of where I am on this day, I will exercise my right to vote with great hope in my heart."