(Vatican Radio) A centre-right party appears to have won Bulgaria's parliamentary
elections, but its prospects of forming another government looked uncertain and voter-turnout
was the lowest in the Balkan country's post-Communist history.
First official
results gave the GERB party of former bodyguard and ex-prime minister Boiko Borisov
received about 31 per cent of the vote, followed by the opposition Socialists with
roughly 27 per cent.
GERB's victory was remarkable as the party was forced
to resign from government in February following demonstrations against poverty, price
hikes and high-level corruption. At least six people have died after setting themselves
on fire in protest or despair despite the influential Orthodox Church appealing against
such practices.
Additionally a former Interior minister was linked to
a wiretapping scandal involving political opponents. Analysts suggested that GERB
won in part because only the party faithful appeared to have bothered to cast ballots.
About half of Bulgaria's nearly 7 million eligible voters stayed home amid widespread
dissatisfaction with the political elite in what is the European Union's poorest member
state.
There were also concerns about possible election fraud. On the eve
of the eve of the elections, 350,000 illegal ballot papers were discovered by security
forces in a printing house linked to the GERB party, prompting an angry reaction from
Socialist leader Sergei Stanishev.
Worries about election irregularities
in the former communist country had already prompted the Organization for Security
and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) to send its biggest monitoring mission to Bulgaria
since 1990. Five parties -- but not GERB -- have also commissioned an independent
vote count.
Bulgarian media said votes were bought in at least some areas
of the country, but it was not clear how much this had impacted the election outcome.
With none of the parties having a clear majority in the 240-seats Parliament,
GERB said it is prepared to form even a minority government. Yet one of its potential
partners, the ultra-nationalist Attack party, already declined the offer. Commentators
say coalition talks could also include legislators representing the Turkish minority
and a new centrist party of former European Commissioner Meglena Kuneva.
There is concern however that the political stalemate will lead to new elections
later this year, hindering economic growth.
MASSIVE UNEMPLOYMENT
Six
years after Bulgaria joined the EU, unemployment remains at an eight year high, millions
struggle to survive on low wages or pensions and the government isn't able to provide
running water and reliable electricity to all its citizens.
Some two million
people have left the Balkan country since 1989 in search for better opportunities.
All parties had waged a low-profile campaign, with few political posters in Bulgaria's
towns and villages, where half-finished buildings evoke memories of the credit boom
and bust under the 2005-2009 Socialist-led government.
The Socialists have
pledged to increase spending and create 250,000 new jobs, while GERB emphasizes fiscal
responsibility in a country where the currency is pegged to the Euro.
The
troubles in Bulgaria have underscored international worries over economies on the
fringes of the Eurozone, which already tries to overcome its own economic difficulties.