EO Observer Dimitar Stoyanov (L), whose racist remark sparked uproar in Bulgaria, prepares to be elected for a full-fledged MEP on the ticket of ultra-nationalist Ataka (Attack) party. Photo by Yuliana Nikolova (Sofia Photo Agency)
Dimitar Stoyanov and his girlfriend are reportedly on top of the ticket Ataka (Attack) nationalistic party with which it will run for Bulgaria's first elections to the European Parliament.
The polls are set for May 2007, but the date is still unknown.
According to local Novinar daily, Stoyanov and Denitsa Gadzheva will electorate for MEP seats cashing in from the kin ties of the young man with leader Volen Siderov, who is his stepfather.
Stoyanov, member of the nationalists party Ataka, caused quite a ruckus in the EP end-September, e-mailing humiliating comments at Hungarian Livia Jaroka, reacting to a proposal to nominate the Hungarian Roma centre-right MEP for a prize honouring her human rights activities. "In my country there are tens of thousands gypsy girls way more beautiful than this honorable one," he said.
Later Stoyanov claimed he meant no offence and apologized to his colleagues, stating all he wanted to do is "point out that in Bulgaria gypsy girls are still sold like items by their parents."
But it earned him a scolding declaration voted by Bulgarian lawmakers and a wave of indignant reactions in Strasbourg itself.