Gyurov–Kandev Campaign Team Files Complaint with CEC over Pre-Election CampaigningT hrough Official Government Channels

The Initiative Committee backing the presidential ticket of Andrey Gyurov and Georgi Kandev has filed a complaint with the Central Election Commission (CEC), requesting an urgent ruling over the dissemination of election campaign material through the Council of Ministers’ official information channels. The complaint alleges two separate violations of the Electoral Code and sets out six specific requests to the CEC.

The Council of Ministers of the Republic of Bulgaria has been turned into Iliana Iotova’s press office. In a statement on 26 October, Prime Minister Rumen Radev made a direct appeal: “Let us vote for Iliana Iotova”, while also making accusations against Andrey Gyurov. The same content was subsequently disseminated through three official Council of Ministers channels: the Government Information Service, the institution’s official website, gov.bg, and its official Facebook page.

Two separate violations of the Electoral Code have allegedly occurred: election campaigning through a state institution, in breach of Article 182(1), and the free use of public administrative resources in connection with the election campaign, in breach of Article 168(3). This constitutes an unacceptable abuse of public resources: state channels, public officials and public funds being used to benefit a single candidate. The Electoral Code prohibits both campaigning in state institutions and the free use of public administrative resources. The state is not an election campaign headquarters.

The Initiative Committee has made six requests to the CEC: to establish whether the alleged violations occurred; to order the immediate removal of the posts and the cessation of similar campaigning through official government channels; to document their content; to establish which officials prepared, approved and published them, and on whose instructions; to take steps to draw up administrative violation reports against Rumen Radev and any other officials found responsible; and to forward the materials to the National Audit Office for assessment within its remit.

“We are referring the matter to the CEC: the posts must be taken down immediately and those responsible must be punished,” Gyurov said.

The Initiative Committee insists that the complaint be considered urgently, within the stipulated 24-hour deadline.