BULGARIA: BULGARIAN SOCIALISTS WIN ELECTIONS BUT FAIL IN MAJORITY NEEDED TO FORM GOVERNMENT

Record ID: 647976

  • Title: BULGARIA: BULGARIAN SOCIALISTS WIN ELECTIONS BUT FAIL IN MAJORITY NEEDED TO FORM GOVERNMENT
  • Date: 26th June 2005
  • Summary: (W2 SOFIA, BULGARIA (JUNE 26, 2005) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 1. VARIOUS OF EXTERIOR OF NATIONAL PALACE OF CULTURE, WHERE ELECTION MEDIA CENTRE IS LOCATED 0.06 2. WIDE OF MEDIA OUTSIDE BUILDING 0.10 3. VARIOUS OF MEDIA WAITING ON STEPS OF BUILDING 0.18 4. WIDE OF INTERIOR OF HALL 0.22 5. SLV SERGEI STANISHEV, LEADER OF THE SOCIALIST PARTY, COMING TO HIS SEAT 0.25 6. WIDE OF PANEL SEATED ON STAGE 0.33 7. SCU (SOUNDBITE) (Bulgarian) SERGEI STANISHEV, LEADER OF THE SOCIALIST PARTY, SAYING: "The success of the 'Coalition for Bulgaria' is natural and expected. We are not going to betray your expectations. We will take all steps necessary to make the policy you voted for a reality in the next parliament and government." 0.51 8. WIDE OF PRESS CONFERENCE 0.56 9. SLV PEOPLE LISTENING 0.58 10. VARIOUS OF PEOPLE IN MEDIA ROOM 1.01 11. CLOSE OF DIMITRIS KURKULAS, HEAD OF EUROPEAN COMMISSION'S DELEGATION TO BULGARIA, LISTENING 1.01 12. WIDE OF PRESS CONFERENCE 1.05 13. SLV SIMEON SAXE-COBURG, HEAD OF NDSV, AND PRIME MINISTER, WALKING TO HIS SEAT 1.09 14. WIDE OF PEOPLE APPLAUDING SAXE-COBURG 1.12 15. WIDE OF POLITICANS ON STAGE 1.14 16. SMV (SOUNDBITE) (Bulgarian) SIMEON SAXE-COBURG, HEAD OF NDSV, AND PRIME MINISTER, SAYING: "When a man has been deprived from the right to live in his country the whole life - 50 years, it wouldn't be logical if I would leave my country now, it is absurd." 1.43 17. VARIOUS OF JOURNALISTS 1.49 18. WIDE OF AHMED DOGAN, LEADER OF THE "FREEDOM AND RIGHTS MOVEMENT" PARTY, COMING INTO HALL 1.52 18. WIDE OF ELECTION PANEL 1.56 19. SCU (SOUNDBITE) (Bulgarian) AHMED DOGAN, LEADER OF THE "FREEDOM AND RIGHTS MOVEMENT" PARTY, SAYING: "In all cases we will have a very good representation in the next parliament and a key role in its configuration." 2.11 20. WIDE OF MEDIA AT PRESS CONFERENCE 2.14 21. VARIOUS OF VOLEN SIDEROV, HEAD OF THE "ATAKA" NATIONALISTIC PARTY, TAKING HIS SEAT 2.24 22. WIDE OF ELECTION PANEL 2,.29 23. SCU (SOUNDBITE) (Bulgarian) VOLEN SIDEROV, HEAD OF THE "ATAKA" NATIONALISTIC PARTY, SAYING: "The political mafia in NDSV and in FRM has failed at these elections. They showed their worthlessness. Concerning the FRM and NDSV government, there were indications from the EU, that this was a corrupted government, a mafia, connected with underground structures, taking part in smuggling and narcotics, stimulating criminal activities and all this has often been declared by EU institutions and officials." 3.10 24. VARIOUS OF TWO OTHER LEADERS OF "ATAKA" (ATTACK) PARTY LISTENING 3.15 25. SLV PHOTOGRAPHERS 3.18 26. WIDE OF SOFIA SKYLINE AT NIGHT 3.21 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 11th July 2005 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: SOFIA, BULGARIA
  • Country: Bulgaria
  • Reuters ID: LVA1F9BUPAULTL4KYS8GT0XCY59X
  • Story Text: Bulgarian Socialists win nationwide elections, but
    fall short of clear electoral majority.




    Bulgaria's Socialists faced an uphill battle on
    Sunday (June 26) after they won weekend elections but fell
    short of the clear majority needed to form a government to
    lead the Balkan state into the European Union in 2007.

    With 95 percent of Saturday's vote counted, official
    results showed the Socialists won 31.44 percent -- much
    lower than pre-election forecasts of 40 percent -- versus
    20.13 for ex-king Prime Minister Simeon Saxe-Coburg's
    ruling centrists.

    The results could plunge the Black Sea country of eight
    million into weeks of uncertainty at a time when increasing
    pressure from Brussels means it must push on with
    EU-related reforms or risk having its entry delayed by a
    year.

    The mostly ethnic-Turkish Movement for Rights and Freedoms (MRF),
    t
    hird with 11.64 percent, rushed to back
    the leftists, but pollsters said the two parties would fall
    at least six seats short of a majority in the 240-strong
    parliament, raising the possibility of a grand coalition.

    Analysts said protracted wrangling could ruin Sofia's
    chances to fix its lumbering judiciary and pass other key
    measures before the end of September, when EU officials are
    expected to judge whether Bulgaria is ready to join in 2007
    as planned.

    If not, accession will be pushed back until 2008, which
    would disappoint both investors betting on convergence with
    the euro zone and reform-weary Bulgarians who have made
    sacrifices to join the wealthy bloc.

    Scrutiny from Brussels has increased amidst growing
    scepticism over EU enlargement following the recent
    rejection of the 25-state bloc's constitution by French and
    Dutch voters.

    Eager to show they can rule after their last term in
    power ended in a 1997 economic meltdown, the Socialists had
    hoped for a stronger negotiating position in post-election
    talks.

    Saxe-Coburg won elections in 2001 with 43 percent of
    the vote, but support collapsed after he failed on a pledge
    to make Bulgarians -- among Europe's poorest people, with
    average wages of 150 euros a month -- rich in 800 days.

    After the leftists' worse-than-expected showing, his
    National Movement for Simeon II (NMS) said it still hoped
    to get a mandate to lead the government so the former
    boy-king could retain power. Saxe-Coburg, who spent half a
    century in exile after the Bulgarian monarchy was
    abolished, denied that he would leave the country if he
    failed to gain another term in office. "When a man has been
    deprived from the right to live in his country the whole
    life - 50 years, it wouldn't be logical if I would leave my
    country now, it is absurd," he said.

    Analysts said the Socialists were likely to rely on
    other smaller parties for support. But if they fail to
    muster a majority they may turn to the NMS, either poaching
    some of its deputies or trying to form a grand coalition.

    But pundits said Socialist leader Sergei Stanishev, the
    thirty-nine-year-old new face of the ex-communists, is
    unlikely to give in to Saxe-Coburg's demand to stay prime
    minister. He also gave a promise not to "betray" the
    expectations of the Bulgarian electorate. "The success of
    the 'Coalition for Bulgaria' is natural and expected. We
    are not going to betray your expectations. We will take all
    steps necessary to make the policy you voted for a reality
    in the next parliament and government."
    Other party leaders talked up their groups' performance
    at the polls. Ahmed Dogan, leader of the "Freedom And
    Rights Movement" party, claimed: "In all cases we will
    have a very good representation in the next parliament and
    a key role in its configuration."
    Volen Siderov, head of the "ATAKA" nationalistic party,
    derided his rivals. He said: "The political mafia in the
    NDSV and in MRF has failed at these elections. They showed
    their worthlessness. Concerning the MRF and NDSV
    government, there were indications from the EU, that this
    was a corrupted government, a mafia, connected with
    underground structures, taking part in smuggling and
    narcotics, stimulating criminal activities and all this has
    often been declared by EU institutions and officials."

  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2015. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
Register