'We Continue the Change'Leader After Government-Forming Mandate Was Returned: New Voting Machines Cannot Be Introduced in Just Under Two Months

'We Continue the Change – Democratic Bulgaria' (WCC–DB) received and immediately returned the second mandate to form a government from President Rumen Radev.

After handing back the mandate, Asen Vassilev said that he had discussed with President Radev the proposed changes to the Electoral Code and what WCC–DB see as a “major danger” in introducing new voting machines in less than two months.

“The aim is to move entirely to paper ballots, while claiming that with new machines it will not be possible to vote in these elections,” Vassilev said.

According to him, GERB, MRF - New Beginning, and There Is Such a People (TISP) want to introduce so-called “counting devices” within just two months. By 10 February, these machines would have to be purchased, tested, configured and tested again.

“In everyone’s mind it is clear that this simply cannot be done,” Vassilev added.

“That is exactly why they are proposing it. They will say: we removed the machines that work, we introduced supposedly 100% new machines, but they will not be ready for the elections, so we must go back to paper voting. And that is precisely their sinister plan,” he said.

Vassilev called on Bulgarian citizens to join a protest in the evening on January 14 to “stop this plan”.

“With 100% machine voting, three different parties have won elections. TISP in July 2021. We won in November 2021. GERB won in October. The machines were chosen by GERB. The government of Boyko Borissov ordered and introduced them. If they do not like them now, why did they choose them in the first place?” he asked.

He urged a return to 100% machine voting “for one simple reason – why are 100% machines bothering them?”