BULGARIA’S PARLIAMENT PASSED THE CHANGES TO THE LAW ON VOTING ABROAD

On 13th of July, Bulgaria’s Parliament approved at second reading the amendments to the Electoral Code related to voting abroad.

The new texts allow opening of polling stations outside embassies and consulates if there are at least 60 submitted applications by citizens willing to vote. However, the amendments provide for a limit of opening of maximum 35 polling stations in a country.

MPs from the Movement of Rights and Freedoms and the independent MP Lyutvi Mestan again said that the aim was to limit the opening of polling stations in Turkey. Radan Kanev from the centre-right Reformist Bloc said that this limit would affect Bulgarians in other countries too.

Representatives of the main ruling party GERB replied that they took into account the maximum turnout at elections of the Bulgarian citizens living in the USA and the UK.

The amendments also envisage a reduction in the required number of citizens in order to carry out elections of mayors – from 400 to 350 people.

The texts provide for the ballot papers for the Bulgarians who vote abroad in Presidential elections and elections to the European Parliament to also have a column “I do not support anyone”.