Sun, Jul 05 2009
The start of Bulgaria's long weekend between May 1 - 6 has caused traffic jams on the road and border crossing to Greece as Bulgarians have decided to spend the long weekend in Greece, Focus news agency said.
At the Vladaya borough, Sofia's exit point for the highway to Greece, there was a 10 km traffic jam before 11am on May 1, Focus said.
At about that time there was a two km file at the Koulata border point with Greece, Focus said.
Bulgaria's government has announced May 1 to 6 as official non-working days, giving most of the country a long weekend off. May 1 and May 6 are official holidays, Labour day and Gergyovden respectively, which in 2008 fall on a Thursday and Tuesday. Those who do not work on May 2 and 5, will have to work two Saturdays later in May.
Ataka and Order Law and Justice parties stage symbolic blockades at Bulgaria’s borders with Turkey on eve of July 5 2009 parliamentary election, while reports record influx of would-be voters and, it is claimed, flights are being chartered from Turkey.
In a blow against a problem that has been plaguing Bulgaria’s elections, State Agency for National Security and Interior Ministry say several people in a ‘major criminal organisation’ have been arrested for vote-buying, on the eve of the July 5 vote.
Barometer Info survey on July 3 2009, just ahead of the eve of Bulgaria’s national parliamentary elections, gives GERB 27.05 per cent and Sergei Stanishev’s Coalition for Bulgaria 19.09 per cent.
The exact number of people sacked from duty out of the 600 who refused to go to work on Monday is undisclosed, although reports claim that as of June 3 at least four people were told they were surplus to requirements.
Open your mind and face the unknown: the 2009 general elections in Bulgaria.