Bulgaria’s Interior Ministry in special operations against vote-buying ahead of April elections
Bulgaria’s Interior Ministry is carrying out special operations against vote-buying in a succession of cities and on March 19 announced a 24-hour hotline and e-mail address to report breaches of electoral law.
March 19, the eve of the start of the official election campaign period ahead of Bulgaria’s April 19 early parliamentary elections, saw uniformed police checking various addresses in Stara Zagora.
Places checked included pawnshops, gambling halls and businesses.
Georgi Kandev, acting chief secretary of the Interior Ministry, told Nova Televizia on March 18 that new schemes to control the vote were being observed, in particular the provision of food aid in exchange for votes.
On March 18, a police special operation took place in Haskovo, with three people arrested for vote-buying.
An Interior Ministry media statement said during the operation in Haskovo, lists of names and significant sums of money were discovered. Voters were being told to support a particular political party, and were told the party’s ballot number, according to the statement, which did not identify the party.
March 18 also saw a police special operation in Varna, resulting in a number of arrests.
The Interior Ministry’s 24-hour hotline to report breaches of electoral law is 02/ 90 112 98 and the e-mail address is [email protected].
Caretaker Prime Minister Andrei Gyurov’s interim government has pledged to ensure the integrity of the April parliamentary elections, and since taking office, caretaker Interior Minister Emil Dechev has replaced numerous senior police officials as part of this campaign.
The police operations against vote-buying are to continue across the country up to and including election day.
(Photo: Interior Ministry)
