NEWS AGENCIES DISPATCH UDF Leader Nadezhda Mihailova: Non-Voters Party Is Largest in Bulgaria Sofia, October 26 (BTA - Bulgarian News Agency) - The Union of Democratic Forces polled some 21 per cent of the ballot in the first round of Sunday's local elections, UDF leader Nadezhda Mihailova told a news conference after the findings of the quick counts became known. Low turnout is a symptom of the shattered political system. It is particularly alarming that a growing number of people do not believe that something depends on them. Apathy is a big challenge to all politicians, because the party of non-voters is the largest in Bulgaria, she said. "To us, the worst threat would be a comeback of the Socialist Party," Mihailova said. She declined to say which candidate the UDF would back in the second round. Asked if it was a mistake to split the right-wing supporters' votes between Mihailova and Sofiyanski, she said there were many differences in their views. The UDF has retained its position as the second largest political force, Mihailova said. The showing of the Simeon II National Movement (SNM) is an assessment of what she said was the failed government of Simeon Saxe-Coburg-Gotha. The most important issues are the election system and the financing of parties, according to Mihailova. It had been forecast that Mihailova and the incumbent Sofia Mayor Stefan Sofiyanski would run in the second round, but a scandal over the financing of the Democracy Foundation, which is close to the UDF, led to a certain drop in the number of votes. Mihailova said Sofia would continue to be run by a right-wing coalition. The UDF is holding talks with Gergiovden and the coalition made up of the Bulgarian Agrarian National Union (BANU)-Popular Union and the Democratic Party. Asked if she will resign as she pledged she would if she lost the elections in Sofia, Mihailova said that if the UDF National Council decided the Union should not conduct such a policy, she was ready to resign. Asked if the UDF will precipitate early parliamentary elections, Mihailova said the decision rested with the National Council. Democratic leader Alexander Pramatarski said the power-holders suffered a crushing defeat in the elections. Anastasia Moser, leader of BANU-Popular Union, said the right wing of the political spectrum was consolidating and the right-wing parties would work jointly with the UDF in the local parliaments.