Bulgarians abroad have until February 28 to apply to vote in March parliamentary elections

Bulgarians living abroad have until February 28 at midnight Sofia time to apply to vote in the March 26 2017 early parliamentary elections, and more than 15 000 applications already have been submitted.

The Central Election Commission will calculate the number of polling stations abroad that will be opened on the basis of the number of applications, taking into account the 2016 amendments to the Electoral Act that set a limit of 35 polling stations in a country outside the European Union.

By February 20, the largest number of applicants was in Turkey, as is customary in Bulgarian elections. More than 5000 applications had been submitted.

The next-largest number of applications was in the UK, 1700, followed by Spain, the United States and Germany.

Bulgarian National Radio said on February 20 that the country’s embassy in Berlin had requested the German authorities to allow the opening of polling stations in 17 cities, in addition to polling stations at Bulgaria’s embassy and consular missions in Germany.

German practice regarding elections of foreign countries is to allow polling stations only at embassy and consular missions.

Bulgaria’s Foreign Ministry said that citizens eligible to vote could submit an application to vote via the website of the Central Election Commission.

/Politics

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