The Coordination Council overseeing the vote has issued its latest update on preparations. Caretaker Prime Minister Andrey Gyurov also took part in the final briefing, held on April 15. Earlier in the day, he met the Chief Secretary of the Ministry of Interior to receive a summary report. More than €1m has been seized from suspected vote-buyers—an increase of 300%, according to information relayed to the Prime Minister.
“This morning, the Chief Secretary informed me that there is operational information about a large amount of counterfeit euros intended for use in vote-buying—meaning there are attempts not only to distort the will of Bulgarian citizens, but also to defraud them directly,” said caretaker Prime Minister Andrei Gyurov.
He added that the caretaker government had made efforts to ensure that every Bulgarian citizen can vote freely, without pressure, and with the confidence that the state is safeguarding their right to choose.
Chief Secretary of the Interior, Chief Commissioner Georgi Kandev, said reports submitted by members of the public had increased by 310% compared with the previous elections.
Gyurov outlined three key measures:
“First, we have put an end to dark booths and opaque methods of controlling the vote. On Sunday, voting will, for the first time, take place using screens. These preserve the secrecy of the ballot while preventing photography, the removal of ballot papers, and the use of improvised means to mark a specific choice.
“Second, we have taken a step towards genuine accessibility. We have developed an application for people with visual impairments, enabling them to hear the candidate lists in their polling station and make an informed and meaningful choice.
“Third, and perhaps most visibly, we have demonstrated that the state is better organised than those trading in votes. The result is €1m in seized cash, with police operations continuing in the final days before the election.”
High voter turnout can outweigh criminal schemes, caretaker PM says.
He added that it is up to Bulgarian citizens, through their vote on Sunday, to render the efforts of vote-buyers ineffective, stressing that high voter turnout is stronger than any criminal schemes.
Andrey Gyurov, Caretaker Prime Minister “There is no hiding place, no drawer, no belt or candidate list that can conceal those seeking to distort and undermine the vote of Bulgarian citizens and our future.”
Deputy Interior Minister Ivan Anchev, along with the Ministry of Electronic Governance, also provided a final summary, stating that operations against vote-buyers will continue in the coming days.
Photos by BTA
Nearly 11,000 voting screens deployed as authorities step up action against vote-buying
Vanya Nusheva, adviser to the caretaker Prime Minister on elections, said: “A total of 10,897 voting screens have been produced and delivered to all municipalities. We have developed QR codes to enable easier, informed choices for people with visual impairments. For greater security in storing election materials, numbered seals have been provided for all ballot bags.”
Ivan Anchev, Deputy Interior Minister: “The number of reports received four days before the elections, as of today, 15 April 2026, stands at 1,743. For the same period—four days before the 2024 elections—there were 479 reports, or 3.6 times fewer. The total number of criminal proceedings opened today is 461, compared with 100 two years ago. The number of detained individuals today is 288, compared with 56 in the previous period.”
Anchev added that €5,000 and £6,000 had also been seized, intended for vote-buying.
The total cost of organising the vote is expected to reach €66m.
Чуй новините
Подкаст
