Bulgarian prosecutors investigating 43 cases of alleged electoral fraud
Bulgarian prosecutors had started pre-trial investigations in 43 cases of alleged attempted electoral fraud, including 17 instances of alleged vote-buying, news website Mediapool.bg reported on May 12.
The first vote-buying sentence was handed in Pleven, where a man was sentenced to five months effective imprisonment and a 10 000 leva fine for paying five people 50 leva each to vote for a particular party.
One man was detained in Simeonovgrad based on a tip-off, news agency Focus reported. The man was found to be carrying 1300 leva in cash and a list of people. Prosecutors continued investigating the case, the report said.
In total, prosecutors had started 190 investigations, with 141 already closed for lack of evidence.
In Plovdiv, one investigation was launched based on a claim that prospective voters were being paid in order not to cast their ballots, Bulgarian National Television reported, but it was later shut down for lack of evidence.
(Photo: Clive Leviev-Sawyer)
