Seven political formations are seen as likely to gets seats in the European Parliament (EP), according to the Barometer Info polling agency. Their conclusion is based on a poll made public in Sofia Monday.

Five of the seven are certain to have MEPs: GERB (25.87 per cent), the socialists' Coalition for Bulgaria (CfB) with 18.02 per cent, the Movement for Rights and Freedoms (MRF) with 16.36 per cent, the Right-Wing Blue Coalition (10.74 per cent) and Ataka (8.26 per cent).

FORWARD and Order, Lawfullness and Justice (OLJ) have some chance to cross the barrier with 5.54 and 5.12 per cent, respectively. The National Movement for Surge and Stability (NMSS), currently in the ruling coalition, gets 2.15 per cent.

Based on the above results, GERB gets 4 seats in the EP, CfB 3 seats, MRF 2 and the Blue Coalition and Ataka 1 seat each.

The distribution of the remaining six seats will depend on the performance of FORWARD and OLJ, and on the turnout of voters.

The Barometer Info poll was done in a voting simulation where 1,210 respondents were asked to cast ballots as they would in real elections. The pollsters explained that this method produces results that are closest to the real election outcome but fails to forecast turnout.

The voting boxes were placed in Sofia, Plovdiv, Stara Zagora, Haskovo, Varna and Veliko Turnovo, with mobile boxes moving among smaller towns as Troyan, Dragoman, Kozloduy and Axakovo.

Not more than 10 per cent of "voters" used the right to mark-choice voting.

Source: BTA