BULGARIA: SOCIALISTS WIN NATIONWIDE ELECTIONS BUT FALL SHORT OF CLEAR ELECTORAL MAJORITY
Record ID:
649107
BULGARIA: SOCIALISTS WIN NATIONWIDE ELECTIONS BUT FALL SHORT OF CLEAR ELECTORAL MAJORITY
- Title: BULGARIA: SOCIALISTS WIN NATIONWIDE ELECTIONS BUT FALL SHORT OF CLEAR ELECTORAL MAJORITY
- Date: 27th June 2005
- Summary: (W2 SOFIA, BULGARIA (JUNE 26, 2005) (REUTERS) 1. SLV NATIONAL PALACE OF CULTURE, WHERE ELECTION MEDIA CENTRE IS LOCATED; MEDIA GATHERED (3 SHOTS) 0.09 2. MEDIA HALL (3 SHOTS) 0.20 3. MV SERGEI STANISHEV, LEADER OF THE SOCIALIST PARTY, COMING TO HIS SEAT 0.27 4. (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 5. SLV PEOPLE IN MEDIA ROOM 0.58 6. SCU DIMITRIS KURKULAS, HEAD OF EUROPEAN COMMISSION'S DELEGATION TO BULGARIA, LISTENING 1.01 7. SLV AUDIENCE; MV SIMEON SAXE-COBURG, HEAD OF NDSV, AND PRIME MINISTER, COMING TO HIS SEAT 1.08 8. PEOPLE APPLAUDING SAXE-COBURG; SLV STAGE 1.14 9. (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, fifty years, it wouldn't be logical if I would leave my country now, it is absurd." 1.43 10. MEDIA 1.48 11. AHMED DOGAN, LEADER OF THE "FREEDOM AND RIGHTS MOVEMENT" PARTY, COMES TO HIS SEAT 1.56 12. (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 13. SLV MEDIA; MV VOLEN SIDEROV, HEAD OF THE "ATAKA" NATIONALISTIC PARTY, COMING TO HIS SEAT; SLV STAGE 2.28 14. (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." 3.09 15. TWO OTHER LEADERS OF "ATAKA" (ATTACK) PARTY LISTENING; PHOTOGRAPHERS 3.17 16. HAS SOFIA AT NIGHT 3.20 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 12th July 2005 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: SOFIA, BULGARIA
- Country: Bulgaria
- Reuters ID: LVAAE3Q8304CJ11YO8PKPGO6DOEV
- 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, 2005) 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 99.6 percent of Saturday's vote counted, official
results showed the Socialists won 31 percent, much lower
than pre-election forecasts of 40 percent, versus 19.88
percent 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),
third with 12.68 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.
Other party leaders talked up their groups' performance
at the polls. Ahmed Dogan, leader of the "Freedom And
Rights Movement" party said his members would have a very
good representation in the next parliament and a key role
in its configuration.
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