Bulgaria corruption scandal blunts EU election

A massive corruption scandal implicating government ministers threatened to overshadow new EU member Bulgaria's first chance to elect representatives to the European Parliament today.

Voters are to choose 18 representatives to the 732-seat European Parliament. But polls predicted a low turnout of about 35%, with domestic concerns outweighing European affairs.

Prime minister Sergei Stanishev has dismissed two deputy Cabinet ministers because of "serious accusations" against them, while the economy minister and a government investigator have taken leave pending the investigations.

The corruption scandal has eroded support for the front-running Socialists, who lead Bulgaria's three-party governing coalition.

Earlier polls predicted nine seats for the Socialists but a more recent National Public Opinion Centre poll conducted last week predicted six seats for the ruling Socialists.

Still, polls put the Socialists marginally ahead of its main challenger, the new populist centrist party, GERB, led by Sofia Mayor Boiko Borisov. GERB was predicted to take four seats.

The Turkish minority Movement for Rights and Freedoms party, a major government coalition partner, is expected to carry three seats, followed by the ultra-nationalist formation Ataka with three seats and the centrist National Movement Simeon II party of former King Simeon Saxcoburggotski with two seats.

Bulgaria has 6.7 million registered voters.