A Bulgarian woman is running for city council in Peterborough

The United Kingdom faces crucial local elections on Thursday. This will be the largest vote since the general election two years ago and could serve as a sort of test of whether the increasingly unpopular British Prime Minister Keir Starmer should be replaced.

Two Bulgarian women are also participating in the competitive race for votes. Neli Gyosheva is a candidate for city councilor in the London borough of Enfield, and Ivelina Banyalieva is running in the city of Peterborough. 

Banyalieva told NOVA: “I believe that when people are represented and heard, there is less division. My goal is to bring communities together and work toward real results. Eastern Europeans, including Bulgarians, are an important part of society here and contribute significantly. They deserve to be represented and heard." "I am proud to be the first Bulgarian candidate from the Conservative Party, and I hope this will open doors for other compatriots of mine as well. I came to England 20 years ago - first to study, and later I started one of my first businesses here and decided to stay. I have a wonderful daughter, my family is here, and gradually everything that matters to me has moved here. But I miss Bulgaria terribly. I am proud to be Bulgarian. I am proud to be from Levski’s hometown - Karlovo. I will never forget my roots,” she shares.