Bulgaria Expects Boost in Winter Tourism with Increased Foreign Visitors
Bulgaria is expecting a boost in winter tourism this year, with about 3.1 million foreign visitors projected between December and March
If elections were held at the beginning of October, seven political parties would secure seats in the Bulgarian parliament, according to an independent survey conducted by Gallup International Balkan. The data shows that GERB remains the leading political force with 25.7% of the votes, while "We Continue the Change-Democratic Bulgaria" (WCC-DB) is in a close race for second place at 16.6%, slightly ahead of "Revival" (Vazrazhdane) at 15.4%.
The survey involved a representative sample of 806 adult Bulgarians, collected through face-to-face interviews using tablets from September 28 to October 6. Sociologists noted that it remains challenging to determine definitive rankings for the second and third places, and unexpected developments could still arise as the campaign progresses.
The situation among traditional supporters of the Movement for Rights and Freedoms (DPS) is less clear. The "Alliance for Rights and Freedoms" (DPS-Dogan) holds steady at 8.3%. In contrast, "DPS - New Beginning" (DPS-Peevski) has seen an upward trend, garnering 6.9% support after entering the campaign with lower initial numbers.
Meanwhile, the Bulgarian Socialist Party ("BSP - United Left") is polling at 7.1%, while "There Is Such a People" (TISP) has 6.3%. These parties are currently in a competitive grouping, but the ongoing campaign may lead to significant shifts in support, especially with the emergence of "DPS - New Beginning."
Other parties such as MECH and "Greatness" (Velichie) have reported lower levels of support, at 3.7% and 3.2% respectively, while "Blue Bulgaria" stands at 1.1%. The remaining parties have support below 1%.
Respondents indicated a 30.5% certainty of voting for the National Assembly, factoring in the uncertain nature of electoral lists and attitudes. This suggests an estimated two million votes, with 3.1% of voters expressing a preference for "I do not support anyone."
The new Speaker of the National Assembly, Natalia Kiselova, has scheduled an extraordinary parliamentary session for December 10 at 1:00 p.m.
After ten failed attempts to elect a speaker, Bulgaria's parliament finally reached a decision, appointing Assoc. Prof. Natalia Kiselova from the "BSP - United Left"
Boyko Borissov, leader of GERB, has signaled a potential shift in strategy following unexpected developments in the ongoing attempts to form a government and elect a Speaker of the National Assembly
For the tenth consecutive time, the National Assembly failed to elect a Speaker
Bulgaria's Ministry of Defense has confirmed that the government has approved the provision of additional military assistance to Ukraine, as part of its ongoing support
An unprecedented tenth attempt to elect a speaker for Bulgaria’s 51st National Assembly is set to take place today, as the political deadlock continues
Bulgaria Ranks Second in the Balkans at Paris 2024 Olympics, 26th Overall
Bulgaria Leads Europe in Heat-Related Deaths in Record-Breaking 2023