120, 000 in a country of 7.5 mln. is a lot and it is not. It is a lot because people don’t show big interest in European elections and it is not because a good campaign with popular candidates can raise the public support needed. After all, 120, 000 is the size of an average neighbourhood in the capital Sofia ( 2 mln. inhabitants).
Probably led by similar considerations current Bulgarian MEPs and candidates are quite active in public discussions these days. Of course, the present representatives are keen on keeping their seat and the lower number of mandates for distribution will just make that task harder.
The discussion I visited this week was organized by the New Bulgarian University. The participants included the current MEPs Nickolay Mladenov (GERB) and Iliana Iotova (BSP) as well as MEP candidates Plamen Tsvetkov and Youseff Dakak (DSB), Atanas Shterev and Plamen Panayotov (BND). The discussion went in the usual constructive tone with the candidates trying to put focus on European, rather than national issues. One of the hot issues appeared to be the proposed ban on the import of seal products in the EU. The public as well as some of the candidates appeared to be quite informed on the topic and agreed on the need of such a ban.
As a blogger I felt I needed to ask a few questions that will spark a discussion. What personally concerned me (as a EU voter) was the de-facto permanent coalition between the two largest EP factions - EPP and PES which allows them to share the post of President and the vast share of commission seats in Parliament. So I asked the candidates how would they motivate me to vote for either of these if my vote would practically not make a difference.
Since the PES representative Mrs. Iotova had already left the discussion at that point I got an answer from the EPP group member Mr. Mladenov. He pointed the fact that EPP has elected the Parliament President with the help of the liberals in the past and promised that the new president will be an EPP representative and also … Polish. It remained unclear who will hold the presidency during the second 2,5 year term of the next parliament (probably again a PES representative) but at least a news was announced. The list of current Polish MEPs is here so pick your favorite. Just keep in mind he/she should be from the EPP 
Jerzy Buzek - MEP from Civic Platform (member of the EPP), ex-prime minister of Poland, elected to the EP with the highest number of votes in the country.
(169 votes, average: 3.94 out of 5)
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isn’t it lovely how they already know the president and we did not vote yet?
i wonder what the EPP leaders would have to say about mladenov’s answer… i have a feeling “GOD NO!” would be their official statement if asked now about a potential polish president of the EP. that doesn’t mean it may not happen after all.
Ok, now I understand I did not quote N. Mladenov quite correctly. What he exactly said is that ˝a consensus is reached˝ (presumably within the EPP) that the next EP President will be from the EPP and Polish. Btw, I already got a feedback from our Ukrainian friends stating Berlusconi’s opposition to a possible Polish nomination for the post - http://www.polskieradio.pl/thenews/foreignaffairs/artykul105519_berlusconi_to_block_buzek_to_head_europarliament.html
Earlier there have been news reports that the consensus includes the PES, so two 2 ½ year periods would be stitched up already.
@ Ralf
So that brings us to the present situation when it does not really matter whether one votes EPP or PES - the presidency is already negotiated as well as the seats in the commissions.