Interior Minister warns of public officials attempting to influence elections

Public officials are attempting to exert improper influence over the electoral process, caretaker Minister of Interior Emil Dechev said at a briefing in Ruse. He gave examples involving a mayor in Northwestern Bulgaria and a deputy mayor of a border town.

According Minister Dechev, the mayor had been distributing social aid provided by a foundation, and campaign leaflets of a party participating in the elections were placed inside the envelopes. The deputy mayor, on the other hand, had offered an individual to take part in vote buying, proposing a set amount to be paid to those willing to sell their vote, while also suggesting the amount the intermediary could keep.

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Emil Dechev stated that the Ministry of Interior will be uncompromising—regardless of who commits the offences or what position they hold, including members of parliament and parliamentary candidates, despite their immunity. He added that a report has been filed against a mayor who is also a candidate for member of parliament, and the case has been forwarded to the Sofia City Prosecutor’s Office.

“Signals of election-related violations have increased by several hundred percent compared with those submitted in October 2024, resulting in more pre-trial proceedings, more detentions, and more warning protocols”, Emil Dechev added.

Edited by Diana Tsankova

Translated by Kostadin Atanasov