BULGARIA’S PARLIAMENT APPROVED INTRODUCTION OF ELECTRONIC VOTING

On 21st of January, Bulgaria’s MPs approved the introduction of electronic voting in elections. However, there is no specific deadline regarding its introduction in practice.

Thus, today’s decision of the Parliament confirmed the result of the referendum, held on 25th of October 2015, in which voters were asked to answer the question: Do you support making it possible to vote from distance by using electronic means in elections and referendums? 70% of the respondents answered in favour of the electronic voting.

The issue was returned for discussion in Parliament, because it did not have the necessary turnout.

The majority which backed the electronic voting included the votes of MPs from the main partner in the ruling coalition, the centre-right GERB, the junior partners centre-right Reformist Bloc and the centre-left ABV party and the opposition liberal Movement for Rights and Freedoms, the populist Bulgarian Democratic Centre. The opposition socialist BSP, the nationalist Ataka and the nationalist alliance “Patriotic Front”, which is part of the coalition, voted against.