The Madara Horseman rock relief in Northeastern Bulgaria (photo), the Tsarevetz fortress in Bulgaria's medieval capital Veliko Turnovo, and the Cyrillic alphabet are among the favorites to be voted as the official symbol to represent Bulgaria in a competition by business and tourist association infobulgaria.info. The alphabet had been a recent favorite, ahead of the others which also include the Rila Monastery and the Bulgarian rose, but lost its lead to the Madara Horseman and Tsarevetz in the Cultural Heritage category.

In the Natural Wonders category, the Seven Rila Lakes are a clear leader, ahead of the Balkan Range and the edelweiss. In Food and Drink, Bulgaria's distinctive natural yoghurt has been the clear favorite since the competition began, followed by the cheese-and-pastry dish banitza and the ubiquitous Shopska salad.

The competition aims for the Bulgarian people to choose the most deserving national symbols which to represent it before Europe and the world. In the run-up to its final phase, around 70,000 people have placed their votes, around 7 per cent of whom have done so from abroad.

A similar competition aiming to find symbols of the nation's regions and capital will begin in mid-February. The chosen symbols will eventually be promoted in Bulgarian embassies and exhibitions at home and abroad.