100 arrested, more arrests expected in Bulgarian operation against people-trafficking, vote buying
About 100 people had been arrested by midday on October 23 as Bulgarian police and prosecutors carried out countrywide operations against traffickers of migrants and vote-buyers, ahead of the country’s October 25 municipal elections.
Prime Minister Boiko Borissov said in a morning television interview, soon after the operations began, that he expected about 1000 arrests.
Thirty people were arrested for people-trafficking in Sofia and 60 in Pazardzhik, while there also were arrests in Haskovo and Vidin.
In Haskovo, police took in seven people for questioning in connection with alleged vote-buying. Further arrests were expected.
Separate reports on the early afternoon of October 23 said that 60 people had been summoned for questioning in connection with allged vote-buying in the Haskovo region. A further 22 had been questioned in regard to people-trafficking.
Specialised operations also were being carried out in Plovdiv and Pazardzhik against vote-buying.
(Photo: foxumon/sxc.hu)
