On Tuesday most newspaper give extensive coverage to the debate between the leaders of GERB and the Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) – Boyko Borissov and Kornelia Ninova, scheduled for tomorrow.

Dnevnik writes that the debate will be given live coverage by three national TV stations, though the parties have not yet agreed on how it should be conducted. BSP leader Kornelia Ninova is not happy with the preliminary agreement and wants it to be revised.

Standart on its part comments that things are getting ugly. The BSP is insisting on a debate in two separate formats – for leaders and for experts because they say a mixed format, in which leaders dispute with experts is unacceptable. GERB says that the socialists are coming up with new conditions so as to “kill” the debate.

The socialist Duma newspaper carries a front page headline that reads: “Ninova demands a leader one-on-one debate with Borissov”.

Sega newspaper focuses on a different pre-electoral angle. Quoting a survey by Alpha Research, the paper says that “voters do not want a GERB-BSP administration.” The author goes on to say that the electorate has no clearly discernible leaning towards a left or a right-wing administration after the early election, but that it is clear voters do not want an alliance between GERB and the BSP, with only 5 percent of Bulgarians favouring such an alliance. 36 percent of respondents say it would be best if a right-of-centre coalition between GERB and other rightist parties were to take the helm. 29 percent favour a left-of-centre administration centring around the BSP, and 12 percent prefer an alliance between GERB and the United Patriots nationalist coalition.

Dnevnik quotes BSP leader Kornelia Ninova as saying that if her party won the general election, it would not form coalitions either with GERB or with the Movement for Rights and Freedoms (DPS). There is no way the BSP can come to an agreement with GERB on major issues, whereas the DPS is an impossible partner, she says.

Compiled by Stoimen Pavlov

English version: Milena Daynova