Ultra-nationalist movement Ataka was dissatisfied with members of European Parliament (MEP) election results, since one ethically-based and unconstitutional party was in the lead, Ataka leader Volen Siderov said.

Siderov referred to the MEP exit polls, according to which ethnically-based Movement for Rights and Freedoms (MRF) takes a narrow lead over the Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP).

Ataka gathered 16.6 per cent of the vote and is expected to have three representatives in the EP.

Everybody knows that MRF gets its votes through bribes and threats, Siderov said.

Siderov said that he is content with the Ataka result, since it showed that the movement managed to preserve its electoral support.

A negative development is the passive manner in which Bulgarians approached the elections and the low voter turnout, Siderov said.

Voting should become mandatory to deal with the problem, Siderov said. Such administrative compulsion was needed, Siderov said. Maybe in 20 years Bulgarians would have electoral culture but a compulsory vote should be introduced now, he said.