Who are the New Bulgarian MEPs?

Following the 2-in-1 elections in Bulgaria, the Central Election Commission (CEC) has finalized the mandates for the European Parliament. Notably, Rosen Zhelyazkov from GERB and Jevdet Chakarov and Iskra Mihailova from the Movement for Rights and Freedoms (DPS) declined their positions as MEPs.

GERB secured five MEPs: Andrey Kovachev, Andrey Novakov, Emil Radev, and Eva Maydell. For the first time, SDS General Secretary Iliya Lazarov will join them. All these representatives will be part of the EPP group.

The DPS will have three parliamentary seats filled by Ilhan Kyuchyuk, Taner Kabilov, and Elena Yoncheva. Yoncheva, previously an MEP elected on the BSP list, will now be part of the group of liberals with the other DPS MEPs.

"We Continue the Change-Democratic Bulgaria" (WCC-DB) also secured three seats. The preferences have significantly rearranged their list, resulting in Nikola Minchev, Hristo Petrov (Itso Hazarta), and Radan Kanev heading to Brussels. Kanev, associated with the EPP, is expected to continue in the EPP group, while the group affiliations of Minchev and Petrov remain unclear, as WCC aims to join the Liberals (Renew Europe).

"Revival" won three seats in the European Parliament, represented by Stanislav Stoyanov, former BNR journalist Petar Volgin, and Rada Laikova.

The Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP), which previously had five MEPs, will now have only two. Kristian Vigenin leads their list, followed by Rumen Gechev. However, Tsvetelina Penkova, previously an MEP, replaced Gechev through preferences. Thus, Vigenin and Penkova were elected and will join the group of Socialists and Democrats.

"There Is Such a People" (TISP) will be represented by one MEP, Ivaylo Valchev.