site.btaAlpha Research: Gradual Decline in Support for Government, Continued GERB Domination in Politics

Alpha Research: Gradual Decline in Support for Government, Continued GERB Domination in Politics

Sofia, March 8 (BTA) - A recent Alpha Research poll identified three trends in public attitudes: a gradual decline in support for the government, the Prime Minister and some key ministers due to a perceived lack of progress in a number of sectors; approval for the termination of large public procurement contracts as a measure against rampant crime; and persistent electoral domination of the ruling GERB as the rest of the political spectrum gets increasingly fragmented. It was a nationally representative poll taken in the period between February 18 and 25, and followed by a snap poll February 28 - March 4, among a total of 1,723 adult respondents.

Support for the parties in the ruling majority seems to have lost much of its solidity, the pollsters say. The GERB supporters remain the most unwavering in their confidence in the party (43 per cent) with 40 per cent neutral and 17 per cent of negative assessment. Approval for the Reformist Bloc has declined to 30 per cent against 26 per cent disapproval and 44 per cent neutral attitude. Approval for the Patriotic Front and ABV stands at no more than 15 per cent with 60 per cent disapproval.

The sharp political confrontation on a number of issues, personal attacks and ministerial changes are affecting the personal ratings of the Prime Minister Boyko Borissov and his government ministers.

The approval for the Prime Minister has slumped to 33 per cent from 38 per cent and the disapproval has grown to 35 per cent from 30 per cent.

The trend is similar in the personal ratings of the ministers and the majority of them get more disapproval than approval. Traditionally, Regional Development Minister Liliyana Pavlova outperforms the rest and gets 32.6 per cent approval and only 7.6 per cent disapproval. Deputy Prime Minister Tomislav Donchev has 19.4 per cent and 3.5 per cent, respectively, Deputy Prime Minister and Labour Minister Ivaylo Kalfin 23.8 per cent and 8.4 per cent, respectively.

Health Minister Peter Moskov gets comparable approval rate (17.1 per cent) but a recent vote of no-confidence over the goverbment's health policy has generated more criticism against him and his disapproval rate has gone up to 24.5 per cent.

Unlike the medical community, where opposition to his reform package is considerable, ordinary Bulgarians approve most of the proposed changes, especially tight control on healthcare spending by the National Health Insurance Fund and patients.

Public disapproval is strongest in the areas of economy, finance justice and home affairs. With the lack of visible improvements in the economic sectors paired with increased taxation, disapproval is rising for the Minister of the Economy, Bozhidar Loukarski, of Finance Vladislav Goranov, of Energy Temenouzhka Petkova and of Tourism Nikolina Angelkova. Interior Minister Roumyana Buchvarova and Justice Minister Ekaterina Zaharieva are also among the least approved Minsiter as a result of stalled reforms in the Interior Ministry and the judiciary.