Student Occupation Divides Bulgarians - Survey

Although most Bulgarians back recent occupations of colleges, most notably Sofia University, the issue is still highly divisive for Bulgarian society, according to a recent survey.

The poll, conducted by the Institute of Modern Politics, found that while 54.1% of Bulgarian support the occupation, a significant 35.5% disapprove of it.

Similarly, while 48% of Bulgarians think that the actions of students are spontaneous and independent, 37.9% consider the occupation directed by outside forces, while another 14.1% say they cannot adequately assess the situation.

According to the Institute of Modern Politics survey, the majority of Bulgarians, 51.2%, do not think that President Rosen Plevneliev is fulfilling well his constitutional function to act as a neutral unifier of the nation in the recent political crisis.

The survey found that if there were early elections today, five parties will enter Parliament, with topmost Bulgarian Socialist Party and GERB having almost identical results around 26%.

Third and fourth would come rightist Reformist Bloc and the liberal Movement for Rights and Freedoms with just above 8%.

Fifth is ranked the Bulgaria without Censorship of controversial former journalist Nikolay Barekov in a hypotetical coalition with nationalists VMRO, which according to the poll together would go over the 4% threshold with over 6%.

Nationalists Ataka, who now have a group in the current parliament, are not likely to get into the next one, according to the survey.

Bulgaria was gripped by protests calling for the resignation of the cabinet of PM Plamen Oresharski and new elections soon after cabinet assumed power following May 12 early elections.

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