Bulgaria’s Prime Minister Boyko Borisov declared he was not delighted by the fact he is leading in the country’s football player of the year poll.

“I do not want to leave the impression that I am craving this award. That would be a bad thing. I am even a little bit ashamed, because this is a protest vote against the low level of the Bulgarian Football Union members, the football players and the coaches in the country,” the Prime Minister claimed.

It has been a tough year for Dimitar Berbatov, Borisov commented on Friday, referring to his main “opponent” in this year’s footballer of the year poll. “Some fans do not vote for him because he refuses to play for the national team. In the same time, people see that I am giving my heart and soul for sports,” he added.

A passionate football fan and an amateur player, the 52-year-old Prime Minister is currently enjoying a comfortable lead of 43% in the poll, while Berbatov is lagging behind with a mere 25%.

It is widely perceived that the vote for Borisov is meant to ridicule his affection for sports at a time of financial crisis.

Boyko Borisov, chairman of best-supported Bulgarian party GERB, has a keenness for all things sport and in the past has coached Bulgaria's karate team.

The 2011 edition of Bulgaria's Footballer of the Year survey was launched Saturday and the first round will last until next Sunday, December 4.

In an interview for the TV7 private channel on Friday, the Bulgarian Prime Minister also announced that he has found a sponsor for the CSKA Sofia football team, even though he supports their archrivals Levski.