PACE gives positive assessment of work of Bulgaria's Central Election Commission

The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) gave a positive assessment of the work of the Central Election Commission (CEC) of Bulgaria, highlighting the good preparation of the electoral process. Representatives of the two institutions met on the eve of the eighth consecutive parliamentary elections in Bulgaria over the past five years.

Bulgarians vote in elections for the 52nd National Assembly

The CEC presented to PACE observers its readiness to conduct the vote - including election materials and the process of delivering voting machines and paper ballots to regional administrations and polling stations in the country and abroad.

The Commission stated that there are more registered observers in this election, which will contribute to greater publicity and transparency. In addition, an interactive election map has been created to improve voter awareness.

Meanwhile, for the first time since the transition from Communism to democracy in 1989, Brussels and Washington, D.C. are closely and cautiously monitoring the outcome of Bulgaria’s snap parliamentary elections, BGNES reports. Dozens of publications in reputable outlets have raised concerns about foreign influence during the campaign, including from services linked to the Kremlin. Analyses also question whether a new political figure similar to Viktor Orbán could emerge in Bulgaria.

“There are no reports of problems with voting abroad, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ goal is to organize fair elections.” This was stated by Deputy Foreign Minister Radi Naydenov during a briefing on voting outside the country.

Edited by Diana Tsankova