Latest News from Bulgaria
Bulgaria’s Caretaker PM Urges Parties to Form Govt in 2-3 Weeks
Bulgarian caretaker Prime Minister Georgi Bliznashki has called on the political parties to approach the task of forming a government responsibly, stressing that the country faces tough problems requiring long-term solutions.
Bulgarian Voter Casts Invalid Ballot With Unambiguous Attachment
A voter in Bulgaria's south western town of Sandanski cast an invalid ballot with a condom attached to it, reports the Sandanski21.com website.
Below the condom the voter wrote "Do not breed ANY MORE".
The comments below the photo, published on the facebook page of the site, vary from sincere admiration for the idea to sad resignation and admonitions.
NYT: Bulgaria Likely to Have Another ‘Shaky Governing Coalition’
With no clear majority party emerging in Sunday's early general election Bulgaria is facing the prospect of yet another unstable government coalition, the New York Times has said.
Right-wing party wins in Bulgarian election
Right-wing party wins in Bulgarian election
SOFIA -- Former Bulgarian Prime Minister Boiko Borisov, who leads a right-wing party, said he is willing to take on any risk to form a government.
Borisov's statement came after the first results of Sunday's parliamentary election showed that his GERB party had claimed victory.
BSP Leads in None of Bulgaria’s Regions With 94% of Vote Counted
With 94% of the votes counted, the Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) leads in none of Bulgaria's regions, the Central Electoral Commision (CEC) said on Monday.
Central Electoral Commission: GERB Gets 32.61% as 87% of Votes Counted
A total of 87.329% of the votes have been processed as of 7.45 a.m. Monday.
The results are the following: GERB leads with 32.61%. Second comes the Socialist party (BSP) with 15.27%, followed by DPS - 14.96%, Reformist bloc - 8.87%.
The Patriotic Front has so far received 7.32% of the votes, Bulgaria without Censorship gets 5.58%, Ataka - 4.56%, and ABV - 4.18%.
131,590 Bulgarians Living Abroad Cast Their Votes in Parliamentary Elections
The total number of Bulgarian citizens who have cast their votes in the polling stations in 58 countries is 131,590.
Nearly half of them voted in Turkey - 60 090 people, according to a statement published on the website of Bulgaria's Foreign Ministry.
GERB Leads, BSP Second with 65% of the Votes Counted
The preliminary data of the Central Electoral Commission from 65.328% of the votes as of 5.15 a.m. Monday confirms that 8 parties will enter parliament after October 5 elections.
Reformist Bloc: Next Gov't Mandate Not Up to GERB
Election results might show that the Reformist Bloc has already grown into a single political player, Radan Kanev, one of the bloc's leaders, announced.
Kanev, who heads the Democrats for Strong Bulgaria (DSB), one of the partners of the right-wing coalition, said results came as a surprise to politicians, since they did not expect such a Parliament.
DPS 'Ready to Be Bulgaria's Second Political Force'
"I categorically declare the Movement for Rights and Freedoms (DPS) is ready" to be Bulgaria's second-largest political party, its leader Lyutvi Mestan said.
At the party's press conference after the elections, the party's leader also made clear his party would refrain from "non-partnership spells" for the moment and would be ready for any value-based partnership.
98% Gallup Parallel Tabulation: DPS Close To Becoming Second Power
A parallel tabulation of 98% of the votes, done by the Gallup agency and quoted by the BNT national broadcaster, shows that the ethnic Movement for Rights And Freedoms (DPS) is very close to becoming the second largest party in Bulgaria's Parliament.
According to the latest data, the Bulgarian Socialist Party gets 15.5% of the votes, while DPS gets 15.2%.
AFP: Bulgaria Faces Further Political Instability After Sunday’s Vote
With no clear winner emerging from Sunday's early general elections, Bulgaria looks set for "further political instability", Agence France Presse said in its news coverage of the vote.
DPS Leader Mestan 'Let's Be Masters Of Silence'
The leader of the Movement for Rights and Freedoms (DPS) Lyutvi Mestan urged all party leaders to "sleep on the results" and analyse them, quoted by Nova TV.
He told journalists that the fact that DPS was the only party that posted an increase in the number of votes since the previous elections, by 25% in his estimates. "This is exceptionally good news for Bulgaria," he told Nova TV.
Some 77,000 Bulgarian Voters Cast Ballots Abroad by 7 pm Sofia Time
A total of 77,059 voters have cast ballots in polling stations abroad in Bulgaria's early parliamentary elections by 7 pm Sofia time on Sunday.
Nearly half of them, 38 766, voted in Turkey, the Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
Parallel Vote Tabulations: 8 Parties Enter Parliament
A parallel vote tabulation of 50% of the votes, done by the Alpha research agency shows that eight parties and coalitions will enter Bulgaria's Parliament.
The same number of parties enters Parliament, according to a parallel vote tabulation of 80% of the votes, done by Gallup.