Bulgarians in Ireland vote hoping national interests will become a priority

Daniela Georgieva has lived in Ireland for 25 years. She is the chair of the Bulgarian non-profit Vasil Levski Association and founder of the Bulgarian school in Shannon. Back in 2012, with the establishment of the association and the school, the idea emerged to open a polling station in response to the desire of Bulgarians in Western Ireland to exercise their right to vote.

Bulgarians vote in elections for the 52nd National Assembly

“At that time, the road infrastructure in Ireland was quite different, and traveling to the embassy in Dublin - the only place to vote - took about four and a half hours. Especially for people with small children, this was nearly impossible. That’s why our association decided to take advantage of the opportunity, offered then for the first time by the Bulgarian state, to open polling stations through Bulgarian organizations abroad,” she explains.

The association went through heavy administrative procedures and extensive documentation, but their efforts paid off. Since then, the polling station in the region has operated successfully in every election. Initially located in the school in Shannon, it later moved to Ennis during the COVID-19 pandemic, and for the past four to five years has been based in Limerick.

In the current parliamentary elections for Bulgaria’s 52nd National Assembly, Bulgarians in Ireland can vote in a total of seven polling stations, as decided by the Central Election Commission of Bulgaria - two in Dublin and one each in Ballyconnell, Dundalk, Limerick, Cork and Tullamore.

Voting abroad: 493 polling stations in 55 countries

Regarding pre-registered voters, around 60-70 people from Western Ireland had declared their intention to vote, but Georgieva notes that many more are expected by the end of election day.

“It’s always like that. Many people still believe that submitting their data online violates their privacy. It’s hard to explain that it actually makes the process easier, so queues often form as people fill in declarations on the spot. We manage well - we are now a very coordinated team. Everyone knows their responsibilities, we follow the procedures, and in my opinion, even for 20 people, the opportunity to vote should be provided.”

On voter attitudes, Georgieva says that while repeated elections in recent years led to a noticeable decline in interest, the current vote shows a positive trend:

“For these elections, things are moving in a very positive direction. There is increased interest, discussions, and questions. People who have never voted before are saying they will do so now. I think we all need change. Bulgaria needs governance that puts the state and common goals above party interests. We need a shared vision for the future - no matter how cliché that sounds - and to follow it steadily, without abrupt changes or external influence. The Irish are a great example - they truly value the common good above personal interests. That’s what I want to see in Bulgaria, and I believe Bulgarians in Western Ireland want the same - a sense of community, where being Bulgarian means putting the country’s well-being first.”

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Editor: E. Karkalanova