European Commission Confirms Five-Year Election Observation Ban on Stoil Tsitselkov

The European Commission has confirmed to Bulgarian National Television (BNT) that Stoil Tsitselkov has been barred for five years from taking part in EU election observation missions.

The sanction was imposed for failing to comply with the Code of Conduct during a mission in 2020.

At a meeting today, February 2023, Bulgaria's Central Election Commission (CEC) asked caretaker Foreign Minister Nadezhda Neynski to seek clarification from the European Commission about the restriction on Mr Tsitselkov.

Tsitselkov did not submit a request to resign from the CEC’s Public Council, despite being urged to do so by its chair, Kameliya Neykova. After he declined to step down voluntarily, the CEC sent a letter on the matter to the European Commission via the Foreign Ministry.

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BNT’s news programme received an explanation from the Commission today, following an enquiry sent last week. It states that, due to non-compliance with the Code of Conduct during his role as an observer in 2020, Mr Tsitselkov was given a five-year ban on participation in EU election observation missions.

Nadezhda Neynski, caretaker Foreign Minister:
“The CEC has made the request. I have not yet seen the letter, for understandable reasons as I am here. What I do know is that the Commission has issued a position on this matter. I will review the letter and, if any steps are required in response to the CEC’s request, they will be taken.”

A European Commission spokesperson told BNT:
“We confirm that following an observation mission in 2020, and due to non-compliance with the Code of Conduct applicable to all election observation missions, Mr Stoil Tsitselkov has been banned for five years from participating in EU election observation missions.”