Bulgaria's state administration minister set the cost for the country's first MEPs elections at BGN 12 M. Another BGN 20 M will be needed for the two rounds of local elections, due in the autumn.
"We wanted the finance ministry to give us BGN 30 M, but they did not deliver," Minister Nikolay Vassilev told the private bTV channel, adding he is not angry and will limit expenditures.
The centrists from Simeon II National Movement hope to gain at least three seats in the European Parliament.
Bulgaria, which joined the European Union on January 1, 2007, will hold its first elections for members of the European Parliament in May.
Currently Bulgaria has 18 and Romania 35 MEPs at the European Parliament. They enjoy full-fledged rights, but are delegated by their parliamentary represented parties instead of elected by general suffrage.