The two presidential candidates who will compete in a second round election run-off on Sunday will face each other in a final debate tonight.

Petar Stoyanov and Georgi Purvanov will appear in a live show on bTV starting at 8.30pm and hosted by popular talk show host Slavi Trifonov.

After problems with counting ballots, the Central Electoral Commission (CEC) officially confirmed on Wednesday that no president or vice-president were elected in Sunday's elections because none of the candidates gathered a majority of votes cast. The voter turnout of less than 50 per cent also ensured that a second round would take place.

Purvanov and Angel Marin, nominated by the Coalition for Bulgaria, gathered 1,031,587 votes, or 36.3 per cent. Independent candidates Stoyanov and Nelly Kutskova ranked second with 990,988 votes, or 34.9 per cent. The other four nominees were eliminated from the presidential race. Bogomil Bonev took 19.2 per cent of the votes, the Movement for Rights and Freedoms (MRF) candidate Reneta Indjova received 4.9 per cent, George Ganchev garnered 3.3 per cent, and Peter Beron received only 1.1 per cent.

"The main political conclusion after the first round is that it demonstrated the will of the people for a change," Purvanov said at a press conference late Sunday night. "We made a strong, modern, positive and alternative election campaign and will keep the good manners."

He added that if he were to become president he would work to stabilize the country's governance and not to provoke preliminary parliamentary elections.

Shortly after Purvanov spoke, Stoyanov said that there was no place for dejection and that he had one more week to win the elections. "We are both politicians with clear political biographies, so the second round will be a battle between different ideas and principles rather than a battle between two different personalities."

He pointed out that he would not change his campaign for the second round. "I hope that before the second round, the two of us will have the chance to discuss issues which are of interest to the Bulgarian citizens, not only the politicians."

This week Stoyanov made visits to several towns where his opponent won more votes on Sunday. On Wednesday he visited Stara Zagora and Bourgas, and was bound to go to the traditionally "red" towns of Vidin, Vratsa and Montana while Nelly Kutskova had meetings in Dimitrovgrad and Haskovo, areas that are highly populated by Bulgarian Turks. On Thursday, Stoyanov was to meet the leadership of the National Movement Simeon II (NMSII) and discuss the priorities of the election campaign.

The week was also busy for Purvanov who had meetings with the Internet Society, youth organizations as well as labour unions. He also discussed the draft budget for 2002 with members of the National Association of Municipalities in Bulgaria. Angel Marin was to visit Stara Zagora and meet with the MRF on Thursday.

This week brought significant changes in the support of the different political formations in the country. On Tuesday the MRF announced that the party's central council unanimously decided to back Purvanov in the second round.

"Regardless who becomes the next president, the MRF wants to have good relations with him," MRF leader Ahmed Dogan said after the meeting. "We will not declare war on the next president but we have our preferences and this is a fact.

"When speaking of a new policy, new morality, a new concept and new responsibilities, we should also have new bearers of these new ideas," Dogan added. Shortly after the decision was announced, Purvanov made a short visit to the party's headquarters.

On Wednesday, the Euroroma party announced its support for Purvanov. In a declaration issued the same day, George Ganchev's Bloc also backed Purvanov.

After a meeting of its parliamentary group on Tuesday, the NMSII issued a special declaration in support of Stoyanov for the second round. "We urge all those who want a life of dignity and future for their children to vote at the second round of the elections on November 18," the document read.

"We believe that Mr. Stoyanov has been and will be a guarantee for the realization of the national ideals of Bulgaria." The declaration also stated that Bulgaria had to turn its back to personal and party interests and consider national interests above all.

In a statement on Wednesday, the Union of Democratic Forces also repeated its firm support for Stoyanov. The current vice-president, Todor Kavaldjiev, also backed the incumbent president.