Luxembourg - The EU's leading official on enlargement said yesterday he was concerned about the possible outcome of candidate country Bulgaria's parliamentary election next Sunday.
According to opinion polls, parties backed by Bulgaria's former King Simeon are well ahead of the ruling centreright coalition of the Prime Minister, Mr Ivan Kostov, who has made EU membership a priority for his Balkan country.
"We must not interfere in national elections . . . [But] we have carefully studied the platforms of parties running in the election campaign, and there are reasons to be concerned about the future pace of the country in its accession to the EU," said the Enlargement Commissioner, Mr Gunther Verheugen.