The Movement for Rights and Freedoms (MRF) expressed confidence on Friday about the forthcoming elections, stating they would get 30 MPs into the next Parliament. Emel Etem, MRF deputy chairman, made the announcement after the party's central council session on Friday. The MRF is relying on the votes of 300,000 supporters during the June parliamentary elections.

The reason for this optimistic prognosis by the MRF, which for 11 years now has performed the role of balancer in the Parliament, is the results of this year's census. According to the preliminary data, Turks in Bulgaria constitute about 8.5 per cent of the population - about 600,000 people. Ethnic Turkish people have traditionally voted for the MRF.

To attract more of them to vote for the MRF, party leader Ahmed Dogan announced that at this year's elections the Alliance for National Salvation (ANS) formula would not be repeated.

This means that his party would participate in the elections by itself in regions where votes are cast on ethnic grounds. This decision by the MRF leadership is rooted in the discontent of the party's local structures, which were unhappy with non-MRF members being placed on the party's election lists.

The movement, however, has not given up on its traditional partners - the liberals of former Bulgarian President Zheiu Zhelev. "The Liberal Union is a member of the Liberal International, and this makes them very important to us," MP Kasim Dal said. This would allow the MRF to benefit from votes from Northwest Bulgaria, where the Liberal Union is looking for support.

The MRF will not form a coalition with the Euroroma political movement, however, although the party's leader, Tsvetelin Kanchev, had made suggestions to that end. At the second national conference of Euroroma, Kanchev said that many people among the ruling government have interfered with the uniting of the two parties.

The MRF predicted that four political forces would enter next Parliament, and that the National Movement Simeon II would play a major role in breaking the bipolar model. According to Dogan, a centrist government would be created after the parliamentary elections. Such a possibility presupposes a coalition between the MRF and the king's party - the registration of which is expected to take place on April 20. Dogan remained hopeful of an alliance with the king, leading to a future government which would include representatives of all minorities.

In an attempt to bring more people of substance into parliament - as well as into the country's leadership - the MRF prepared the criteria for their MPs. Young, educated and popular people are those to be counted on by the party. They would also like to see more female representation within the group. So far, there has been only one woman in the MRF parliamentary group.

The MRF lists will be ready by May 15, Dogan said. His party's election campaign will take into consideration the country's varying regions. At places with tragic economic conditions, their message will be directed towards making specific steps for bringing life back to the villages and towns. In areas with lower rates of unemployment, they will push ethnic stability and tolerance, explained Etem.