Bulgaria election set for April 4

SOFIA: Bulgaria's President Rumen Radev announced on Thursday that he has set an April 4 date for the country's next general election.

A vehement critic of the outgoing cabinet of conservative Prime Minister Boyko Borisov, Radev had initially said he preferred the first possible date, March 28.

But after a round of consultations with political parties he said Thursday the date had been pushed back a week to allow more time to prepare coronavirus safety measures.

"I signed a decree today for the organisation of parliamentary elections on April 4," Radev said in a televised address to the nation.

The European Union's poorest member state was rocked by months of anti-government street protests over the summer demanding the resignation of Borisov's cabinet.

The coronavirus epidemic however quelled the massive rallies and the three-time premier has clung on to power.

Borisov resigned before the end of each of his previous two terms in office. He has indicated he wants to remain politically active but won't seek a new four-year term as prime minister.

An Alpha Research poll in January showed Borisov's GERB party edging slightly ahead of the Socialist BSP, garnering 24.3 percent of the vote to BSP's 21.9.

Alpha Research warned that on current trends the next legislature would be highly fractured, containing up to six parties and making the formation of a stable government difficult.