site.bta40 Per Cent of Bulgarians Think Country Copes Well with European Council Presidency

Sofia, March 19 (BTA) - Forty per cent of the Bulgarians think that this country copes well with the ongoing EU Presidency, according to the first part of a poll conducted by the Trend research centre and commissioned by "24 Chassa" which studied people's attitudes towards the main political parties, persons, the Bulgarian EU Presidency and the economic situation. The nationally representative poll was conducted among 1,004 adult Bulgarians between March 1 and 7.

The overall positive expectations about the economic situation of Bulgaria and its living standards persist, the poll showed. There has been no tangible change either in the voting attitudes and opinions about the main political leaders.

After a three-month-long downward trend in the optimistic expectations of the Bulgarians, the poll in March showed levels of optimism detected back in November 2017, with 53 per cent of the respondents saying that they are optimistic about Bulgaria's development, and 36 per cent saying they are pessimistic. Analysts attribute this to seasonal change from the colder winter months to the warmer spring time.

The overall positive expectations about the economic situation in Bulgaria and personal living standards persist in the past five months. Forty-four per cent of the respondents do not expect changes in the economic situation and 50 per cent, in their living standards.

Two months into the six-month term of the Bulgarian EU Presidency, 43 per cent of the people follow news about it, and 52 per cent do not. Forty per cent think that Bulgaria copes well with the Presidency, and 17 per cent think the opposite.

Support for the main political parties remained unchanged for the fifth month running. GERB has the support of 21.1 per cent of the Bulgarians, the Bulgarian Socialist Party, 18.4 per cent, the Movement for Rights and Freedoms, 6.6 per cent, the United Patriots, 5.1 per cent, the Reformist Bloc, 1.6 per cent, similar to Volya and Yes Bulgaria.

Among the political leaders, Prime Minister and GERB leader Boyko Borissov has the highest approval, 39 per cent, followed by Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization leader and Defence Minister Krassimir Karakachanov with 38 per cent, and Bulgarian Socialist Party leader Kornelia Ninova with 27 per cent.