A new poll says that 54 per cent of Bulgarians have no trust in political parties, more than 51 per cent no faith in Parliament and just more than 47 per cent no trust in the Cabinet.

The poll, the European Values Study 2008 for Bulgaria, encompassed 1500 Bulgarians, according to an October 5 report by Bulgarian National Radio. The newest figures represent declining faith in public institutions, the report said.

The only two institutions that had marked an increase in trust were the Orthodox Church and the European Commission. Bulgarians had become more appreciative of personal liberty and market economy principles, the survey said.

In a separate report, Bulgarian National Television said on October 5 that a survey by Barometer Info agency found that if elections were held immediately, 31 per cent of Bulgarians would not vote, 41 per cent were certain that they would vote, leaving the rest undecided.

The poll said that five political formations would, if elections were held immediately, get seats in Parliament. These were Boiko Borissov’s Citizens for the European Development of Bulgaria (known by its Bulgarian abbreviation GERB), the Bulgarian Socialist Party, the Movement for Rights and Freedoms, ultra-nationalist Ataka and a coalition between the Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organisation (known by its Bulgarian abbreviation, VMRO) and LIDER, a minor right-wing party.

The centre-right Union of Democratic Forces would get just more than two per cent, the right-wing Democrats for a Strong Bulgaria just more than one per cent and Simeon Saxe-Coburg’s National Movement for Stability and Progress less than one per cent – meaning that none of these three parties would get over the threshold for Parliament.

The Barometer Info poll said that 46 per cent of Bulgarians were in favour of voting being made compulsory.