The candidacy of the Rector of Sofia University Anastas Gerdzhikov for President surprised and worried me, Bulgaria’s caretaker Minister of Education and Science Nikolay Denkov said in an interview for the Bulgarian National Television. "Firstly, the higher education system is committed to this candidacy. Secondly, this will lead to fault lines in the higher education system", Minister Denkov said.

This country’s caretaker Minister of Culture Velislav Minekov commented in the social networks that by law, rectors of higher education institutions who are part of an initiative committee must resign because of their political commitment.