After the parliamentary elections in Bulgaria, the latest projections put the centre-right coalition of former Prime Minister Boiko Borissov in the lead. His alliance got around 26 percent of the votes in Sunday’s election – the fifth in two years. The liberal-conservative bloc was just behind with around 25 percent. In initial forecasts based on post-election polls, the order of the political camps, both of which are considered pro-Western, was reversed. The projections were published by three opinion research institutes on Monday night.
Borisov’s GERB-SDS alliance had already ruled the country, which belongs to the EU and NATO, until 2021 – when his third term as prime minister ended. His camp agrees with the liberal-conservative electoral bloc PP-DB on supporting Ukraine in the war against Russia. Both also advocate arms deliveries to the attacked country.
At the end of 2022, the parliament in Sofia approved the first military aid package for Kiev. But head of state Rumen Radev declared that Bulgaria would not supply arms to Ukraine as long as the interim cabinet he had appointed is in power. Borisov called on the pro-Western parties to form a regular government after this election.
The PP and DB were involved in a four-party government with Prime Minister Kiril Petkov (PP) until June 2022, which was overthrown by a vote of no confidence. The GERB-SDS alliance was voted out of office in 2021 after allegations of corruption and protests. Corruption is a widespread problem in the country of 6.5 million people. In terms of per capita economic output, Bulgaria is the poorest EU member state.
According to the projections, at least five parties are likely to move into parliament – including the pro-Russian and nationalist Wasraschdane (Rebirth) and the pro-Russian Socialists, who will co-govern until 2022. The official final result should be available by Thursday at the latest.
In Montenegro, meanwhile, according to projections, former economics minister Jakov Milatovic is leading the runoff election for the presidency. The 37-year-old economist Milatovic secured 60.1 percent of the vote on Sunday. Pro-Western incumbent Milo Djukanovic only got 39.9 percent.
Milatovic has taken up the fight against corruption and promised voters a higher standard of living. He wants to strengthen the small Adriatic country’s ties to both the European Union (EU) and neighboring Serbia. Milatovic declared himself the winner of the election late in the evening. “Within the next five years we will bring Montenegro into the European Union,” he told his supporters.
Montenegro has been in a political crisis for a long time. There were repeated votes of no confidence and arguments between the President and MPs.
Djukanovic only dissolved parliament in mid-March and scheduled early parliamentary elections for June 11. Although the presidency is largely ceremonial, choosing the winning party could give a boost to the general election.
Djukanovic, 61, has dominated politics in Montenegro for 33 years as president or prime minister. He led the country to independence from the successor state of Yugoslavia, Serbia and Montenegro, in 2006 and to NATO in 2017. His opponents accuse him and his centre-left DPS party of corruption and links to organized crime. The President and the DPS reject this.
The country with around 620,000 inhabitants is one of the six Western Balkan countries that are striving to join the EU. The population is divided: while members of one population group see themselves as Montenegrins, others see themselves as Serbs. In the first round of voting two weeks ago, the pro-Serbian politician Andrija Mandic was eliminated. He had advocated closer ties with both Serbia and Russia. After Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Montenegro joined the EU sanctions against Moscow. The government in Moscow has therefore put the country on its list of unfriendly states.
