Through the members of European Parliament (MEP) vote in Bulgaria, opposition sent warning signals to the parties in the ruling coalition, Reuters news agency reported.

Centrist Citizens for the European Development of Bulgaria (CEDB) took a narrow lead over the Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP).

The vote of Bulgarians showed the Cabinet that it needed to undertake more adequate measures to deal with corruption and organised crime, the report said.

Reuters quoted Bulgarian polling agencies as saying that the vote showed Bulgarians were in need of radical measures.

Bulgaria and Romania entered the EU on January 1 2007, after the two countries were rushed into implementing a wide range of reforms to meet accession criteria.

The two countries face the threat of European Commission sanctions if they fail finalising reforms, Reuters reported. Some of the older EU members already said that the decision to allow the two countries into the union might have been too rash.

Currently Bulgaria is shaken by a high-level corruption scandal, Reuters reported. The Economy and Energy Minister, as well as Bulgaria’s top investigator are involved in the controversy.