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| Few Vote in Bulgaria as Apathy Prevails | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| SOFIA, Bulgaria — Bulgarians turned out in record low numbers on Sunday to choose a government to replace one forced out after angry and unfocused demonstrations and a bloody crackdown here in the capital this year. | SOFIA, Bulgaria — Bulgarians turned out in record low numbers on Sunday to choose a government to replace one forced out after angry and unfocused demonstrations and a bloody crackdown here in the capital this year. |
| Final results were not expected for at least a day, but it appeared that hopes for change were so low that voters simply renewed the mandate for the parties previously in power. | Final results were not expected for at least a day, but it appeared that hopes for change were so low that voters simply renewed the mandate for the parties previously in power. |
| With 44 percent of the vote counted early Monday, officials said the governing party of former Prime Minister Boiko Borisov had received 32 percent and the Socialist Party, the former Communists, 27 percent. Turnout was 53 percent. | With 44 percent of the vote counted early Monday, officials said the governing party of former Prime Minister Boiko Borisov had received 32 percent and the Socialist Party, the former Communists, 27 percent. Turnout was 53 percent. |
| Mr. Borisov and his government resigned in February, after the largest protests in 15 years, with demands including eased austerity measures, better living standards and an end to government corruption and incompetence. At the time, it seemed possible that Mr. Borisov’s political career might end. Now, a return to office seems possible. | Mr. Borisov and his government resigned in February, after the largest protests in 15 years, with demands including eased austerity measures, better living standards and an end to government corruption and incompetence. At the time, it seemed possible that Mr. Borisov’s political career might end. Now, a return to office seems possible. |
| However, some parties have said they would not join a Borisov-led government. Neither of two possible partners — the far-right Ataka party and the ethnic Turkish Movement for Rights and Freedoms — would make a comfortable fit. | However, some parties have said they would not join a Borisov-led government. Neither of two possible partners — the far-right Ataka party and the ethnic Turkish Movement for Rights and Freedoms — would make a comfortable fit. |
| Some Bulgarians linked the voter apathy to the failure of the protests to achieve real change. | Some Bulgarians linked the voter apathy to the failure of the protests to achieve real change. |
| While the protests provided an outlet for the public to express its grievances, said Blagoy Boychev, 27, an actor, “the protesters expected some grandiose changes which didn’t happen,” and disappointment increased as a result. | While the protests provided an outlet for the public to express its grievances, said Blagoy Boychev, 27, an actor, “the protesters expected some grandiose changes which didn’t happen,” and disappointment increased as a result. |
| “Most of the Bulgarian people have exceptionally poor political literacy,” he said, drinking beer on a bench in a park at the Church of the Seven Saints. | “Most of the Bulgarian people have exceptionally poor political literacy,” he said, drinking beer on a bench in a park at the Church of the Seven Saints. |
| Accusations of corruption played out just before voting began with the announcement that 350,000 illegal ballots had been found in a printing plant owned by a city councilor from Mr. Borisov’s party, Citizens for European Development of Bulgaria, or GERB. The prosecutor’s office said the ballots had been ready for distribution to polling locations, but some news media reports disputed the claim. The office has not specified for which electoral region or regions the ballots were printed. | Accusations of corruption played out just before voting began with the announcement that 350,000 illegal ballots had been found in a printing plant owned by a city councilor from Mr. Borisov’s party, Citizens for European Development of Bulgaria, or GERB. The prosecutor’s office said the ballots had been ready for distribution to polling locations, but some news media reports disputed the claim. The office has not specified for which electoral region or regions the ballots were printed. |
| The timing of the announcement — on Saturday, the so-called day of consideration, when campaigning and alcohol sales are banned before the polls open — raised claims that it had been intended to damage GERB, the ruling party. | The timing of the announcement — on Saturday, the so-called day of consideration, when campaigning and alcohol sales are banned before the polls open — raised claims that it had been intended to damage GERB, the ruling party. |
| The Central Electoral Commission declined to comment. | The Central Electoral Commission declined to comment. |
| Sergei Stanishev, the head of the Socialists, called the illegal ballots a huge fraud that was “unique in scale and arrogance.” In a news conference, Mr. Stanishev said the government of Mr. Borisov, a former firefighter, karate champion and owner of a private security company, “has returned us to the 19th century.” | Sergei Stanishev, the head of the Socialists, called the illegal ballots a huge fraud that was “unique in scale and arrogance.” In a news conference, Mr. Stanishev said the government of Mr. Borisov, a former firefighter, karate champion and owner of a private security company, “has returned us to the 19th century.” |
| President Rosen Plevneliev, who is also from GERB, said the authorities should complete their investigation before people drew any conclusions. “I refer with confidence to the actions of institutions and support their efforts,” he said. | President Rosen Plevneliev, who is also from GERB, said the authorities should complete their investigation before people drew any conclusions. “I refer with confidence to the actions of institutions and support their efforts,” he said. |
| Atanas Lozanov, 64, a retired truck driver, had a different interpretation. | Atanas Lozanov, 64, a retired truck driver, had a different interpretation. |
| “It means that no one can fix this country, everything is corruption, and that no matter who wins the elections, it will be the same thing,” Mr. Lozanov said. | “It means that no one can fix this country, everything is corruption, and that no matter who wins the elections, it will be the same thing,” Mr. Lozanov said. |
| Charges of electoral fraud are common here. Even before the country joined the European Union in 2007, the European Commission was highly critical of it for failing to clean up its judicial system and systemic corruption. | Charges of electoral fraud are common here. Even before the country joined the European Union in 2007, the European Commission was highly critical of it for failing to clean up its judicial system and systemic corruption. |
| The country’s national literary hero, Bai Ganyo — a rough but clever villager from the 19th century whose misadventures in Europe poke fun at Bulgarians’ complexes about their lack of “Europeanness” — brags about cheating to get elected, paying two levs per man and “a whole night of eating and drinking” before the elections. | The country’s national literary hero, Bai Ganyo — a rough but clever villager from the 19th century whose misadventures in Europe poke fun at Bulgarians’ complexes about their lack of “Europeanness” — brags about cheating to get elected, paying two levs per man and “a whole night of eating and drinking” before the elections. |
| “The mess is huge,” said Katerina Sakalova, 64, a retired teacher. “Our country is beautiful, but the state is so run down that I don’t see how it can be fixed in less than 10 years.” | “The mess is huge,” said Katerina Sakalova, 64, a retired teacher. “Our country is beautiful, but the state is so run down that I don’t see how it can be fixed in less than 10 years.” |