by Marian Draganov
SOFIA, March 27 (Xinhua) -- After Sunday's early parliamentary elections, it was highly probable that Boyko Borissov would become Prime Minister for the third time since 2009.
Based on nearly all of the processed protocols, five political formations will enter the National Assembly, including Borissov's center-right GERB party, which won 32.66 percent of the vote, Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) -- 27.19 percent, the United Patriots -- 9.07 percent, the Movement for Rights and Freedoms (MRF) -- 8.99 percent, and Volya party -- 4.15 percent.
Later on Sunday, when the first exit polls were announced, Borissov said the results showed that his party was obliged to form a government.
He said GERB would make a huge effort to quickly form a government that would meet the expectations of the people.
The new government must be stable amid the Bulgarian presidency of the European Union (EU) Council in 2018, and the complicated international situation, Borissov said.
Analysts here believe that Borissov enjoys big chance to stay as the prime minister.
Dimitar Ganev is one of them, who predicted that a coalition government of GERB-United Patriots-Volya "looks realistic."
Another political analyst Boriana Dimitrova said on Sunday evening the instinct that Bulgaria should not deviate from its European path made the people reflect.
Dimitrova was echoed by Alexandar Marinov, who said that the international situation had begun to increasingly influence voters in terms of their expectations from the state.
Some political parties' leaders have also expressed their views towards the future government.
Valeri Simeonov, one of the leaders of the Patriots, said they would support a future government under certain conditions, while the leader of Volya, Veselin Mareshki, said his party would participate in negotiations with GERB in order to create a stable government.
MRF's leader Mustafa Karadayi also said it was important to have stability and security in Bulgaria.
Only Korneliya Ninova, leader of BSP, declared that her party would not participate in a coalition with GERB, but promised that if GERB failed to form a cabinet, BSP would try to do that "for the sake of country's stability and the forthcoming EU council presidency."
Just after voting on Sunday, Bulgarian President Rumen Radev said he hoped the parties would show "common sense and national responsibility," and that the new government would be formed as quickly as possible "at the cost of compromises that are inevitable in this situation."
Speaking at the official closing of the election campaign on Friday, Borissov, who was prime minister from 2009 to early 2013 and from late 2014 to January 2017, said his government had coped with the worst economic crisis and severe refugee wave, and the achievements were visible throughout the country.
Antonio Lopez-Isturiz, secretary-general of the European People's Party, who came to the event to support GERB, confirmed that Borissov was tested by the economic crisis and a heavy migrant influx, "which he managed to control and emerge stronger."
The statistics showed that Bulgaria's gross domestic product expanded by 3.0 percent and 3.4 percent year-on-year in 2015 and 2016 respectively.
Meanwhile, by electing Borissov, Bulgarian people expressed their wish to deepen integration with the EU. "Many see the elections in Bulgaria as a referendum for Europe. If so, say YES to Europe. This means YES to GERB," Lopez-Isturiz urged on Friday.
