Bulgarians are viewing today’s European elections as a dress rehearsal for the country’s own parliamentary poll next month. Campaigning among the main parties has been intense in a bid to mobilise the largest part of their electorate so as to gather momentum now for the July 5th vote.

Prime Minister Sergei Stanishev and his ruling Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) have ground to make up as they are suffering from poor popularity ratings with the global recession biting hard into the economy.

But the main opposition to the Socialists is the centre-right party, the “Citizens for the European Development of Bulgaria” (GERB). They are led by Boyko Borisov who is also the Mayor of Sofia.

Unemployment, crime and secure energy supplies are the main domestic issues which are impacting on the European poll. In all, 10 parties are contesting 17 MEP seats.

More about: Bulgaria, European elections

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