Bulgaria's centre-right Prime Minister Boyko Borisov stepped down Sunday after his presidential nominee suffered a crushing defeat at the hands of a Moscow-friendly general backed by the Socialist opposition.
Observers say the surprise win could tilt ex-communist Bulgaria, which has long walked a tightrope between Moscow and Brussels, towards Russia's orbit - a trend seen across eastern and central Europe amid rising euroscepticism. Nearby Moldova also looked set to elect a pro-Russian president on Sunday. "I will hand in my resignation tomorrow or the day after.... The results clearly show that the ruling coalition no longer holds the majority," the premier told reporters on Sunday evening.