Trend

Contested battle for first and third place in the early parliamentary vote. The results of the coalitions PP-DB and GERB-SDS are with a difference within the statistical error, according to the results of the exit poll of the sociological agencies "Gallup" and "Trend" at 7:00 p.m., conducted and financed by order of NOVA.

Bulgaria's former Prime Minister and leader of the 'We Continue the Change' party Kiril Petkov speaks at a rally in Sofia, 30 March 2023. Photo: EPA-EFE/VASSIL DONEV

The Greece-Bulgaria gas interconnection (IGB) has started test gas supplies, the project company ICGB AD told Trend news agency.

"We have started test deliveries with real quantities of natural gas, as planned. However, this is not the beginning of commercial exploitation," the ICGB said.

Nearly 56 per cent of Bulgarians never shop online, according to a nationally representative poll conducted by the Trend agency between July 16 and 22 among 1,007 Bulgarians aged 18 or over. Its findings were presented at BTA's National Press Club on Monday at a joint news conference with Bosch Home Appliance Group Bulgaria

At least 6 political parties will enter the next Parliament. The margin between the GERB-UDF and anti-establishment "There is Such a People" party is small, a survey by Trend polling agency showed on June 22.

Former PM Boyko Borissov's party GERB is first with 21.7%, "There is Such a People" is second with 20.2%.

GERB, There Is Such a People, BSP, MRF, Democratic Bulgaria, Stand Up, Mafiosi out, VMRO. Such is the "order of appearance" of the parties and coalitions that will surely enter the new, 45th National Assembly, according to the Gallup exit polls. However, the percentages received mean nothing so far because they are unofficial.

Five political formations are sure to enter the future Parliament, while two are on the verge, show data from a survey, commissioned by the 24 Chassa daily newspaper and conducted by the Trend polling agency face-to-face among 1,004 adults between March 9 and 14.

About 63% of Bulgarians would not become foster parents under any conditions, and one in six would take home a child at risk if they received a salary and child benefits from the state, shows data from a nationally representative survey of Trend polling agency, commissioned by the National Association for Foster Care.

BSP candidate for mayor of Ruse Pencho Milkov wins the run-off in the regional city. The nominee from the Left collects 57.5% of the votes in the second round. GERB candidate Diana Ivanova received 37.6% of the votes, according to the exit poll of Trend agency, commissioned by Nova TV.

After a tightly-packed three-day programme, Pope Francis left Bulgaria on Tuesday morning with a call for the country to continue "building peace and bridges" with its neighbours.

"Keep building peace, sow goodness," the pontiff told Prime Minister Boyko Borissov, who saw him off as he departed for North Macedonia for the next leg of his Balkan trip.