New Bulgarian MEP Takes Seat in Parliament

Svetoslav Malinov, Bulgaria's new MEP, casts his vote during the preliminary elections to determine Blue Coalition's presidential candidate which he lost in June. BGNES

Bulgarian right-winger Svetoslav Malinov has taken his seat as the country's new Member of the European Parliament for the first time on Monday.

Malinov comes from the rightist Democrats for Strong Bulgaria (DSB) party of former Prime Minister Ivan Kostov.

Malinov was next in line after the 17 Bulgarian MEPs who made it to the European Parliament. As he becomes the new Bulgarian MEP, this means one extra deputy for the European People's Party from Bulgaria.

The former lawmaker in Bulgaria's parliament joins the European Parliament as a result of the distribution of 18 seats proposed by the Lisbon treaty. Bulgaria, as well as Italy, Malta, Latvia, the Netherlands, Poland, Slovenia and the UK, has received one additional MEP.

Spain receives four, while Austria, France and Sweden receive two. The only country to lose seats is Germany, which will go from 99 MEPs to 96. However, as all 99 current German Members will keep their seats until the end of the current term, the number of MEPs will temporarily rise to 754.

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