Few countries in Europe take more of their gas from Russia than Bulgaria – and yet Bulgarians are increasingly asking themselves whether they really need it.
Energy is top of the agenda in Sunday’s general election and some of the 28 parties taking part are openly favourable to Russia.
The Kremlin has long overshadowed the fractured politics of the European Union’s poorest member state.
This is Bulgaria’s fourth election since April 2021.
The political alliance GERB-SDS led one of the latest opinion polls from Gallup International earlier in September.
It is projected to get 25.8% of the vote, followed by We Continue the Change (PP) on 16.6%.
Meanwhile, the pro-Russian party Revival (Vazrajdane) and Movement for Rights and Freedoms (DPS) are forecast to get around 13%.
Who are the main parties in the election?
Citizens for European Development of Bulgaria (GERB): Right-wing party of Boyko Borissov, who was Bulgaria’s prime minister for more than a decade until 2021.
We Continue the Change (PP): Kiril Petkov and Asen Vasilev only formed this new centrist party a year ago. It spent six months in government before its ruling coalition collapsed.
There Is Such a People (ITN): Bulgarian singer and TV host Slavi Trifonov formed this party in 2020, naming it after one of his albums. Sparked the October election when it pulled out of the last governing coalition.
Movement for Rights and Freedoms (DPS): Long-established centrist party that primarily represents the country’s Turkish minority
Bulgaria Socialist Party (BSP): Successor of the Bulgarian Communist Party that was one of the parties in the country’s most recent coalition government.
Revival (Vazrajdane): Pro-Russian nationalist party that is expected to do very well in October’s snap election.
Democratic Bulgaria coalition (DB): Diverse collection of three parties — taking in greens, liberals and right-wing democrats — collectively known as the “urban right”.
Bulgarian Rise (BV): Ex-caretaker PM Stefan Yanev formed this conservative party in May. Some describe it as pro-Russian. Yanev was sacked from the last government after recommending that Bulgarians stick to Putin’s description of the Ukraine war: “a special military operation”.
What are the main issues for voters?
Latest surveys show that Bulgarians’ chief concerns are related to inflation, price hikes and the looming energy crisis.
That’s because the country’s annual inflation rate hit 15% in August.
It’s being driven by increases in energy prices after Gazprom halted natural gas deliveries in April because Sofia refused to pay in roubles.
In Bulgaria, the poorest among the European Union’s 27 members, surging energy costs are forcing families to cut extra spending ahead of the coming winter months to make sure there is enough money to buy food and medicines.
Linked to this, there has also been a change in what is driving people to vote, say experts.
In last year’s elections, the electorate was split between parties representing the status quo and those promising change.
But the Ukraine war has altered everything.
“The war in Ukraine has caused a new cleavage in Bulgarian politics,” Dimitar Ganev, a sociologist from opinion polling organisation Trend Research Center, told Euronews Bulgaria.
“It’s between those who take a pro-Euro, pro-Atlantic position and those who have a softer stance towards Russia’s actions.
“Some of the political parties exploit the traditionally favourable attitude of Bulgarians towards Russia and seek to gather new voters.”
