Legal Affairs Committee Rejects Bill on Amendments to the Electoral Code

The Parliament's Legal Affairs Committee on January 15 rejected a bill proposed by Nadezhda Yordanova and other 'We Continue the change-Democratic Bulgaria' MPs to amend the Electoral Code to introduce machine voting with control counting of the printed receipts. The vote ended with 6 in favour, 7 against, and 7 abstentions.

Debate on the proposal highlighted differing views on the role of machines and paper ballots in elections.

Stoyu Stoev (WCC–DB) said: “Our proposal is that point two be removed so we can focus on a bill that can pass quickly, even though it is the first reading.”

Petar Petrov (Vazrazhdane) added: “We also propose that point two be removed.”

Radostin Vasilev (Morality, Unity, Honour) argued: “It is far better to keep the current Electoral Code, with all its shortcomings, than to experiment.”

Yavor Bozhankov (WCC–DB) countered: “You want to keep the old system with both paper and machines.”

Nadezhda Yordanova, co-chair of WCC–DB, emphasised: “The elections conducted under the current system had the fewest violations, the fewest invalid ballots, and the fastest reporting of results, without being contested.”

Lawyer Valya Gigova, vice-chair of the Supreme Bar Council, said: “We are 100% against fully machine-based voting. Statistics show a 70–30 split, so paper ballots must be retained.”

Branimir Balachev (GERB–UDF) stated: “I will defend the interests of the 1.5 million citizens who clearly do not trust these machines and will protect their right to vote on paper.”

Petar Petrov (Vzrazhdane) added that machine voting should not take place in polling stations with fewer than 300 voters, where paper ballots should be used instead, warning that smaller stations “create many problems.”

Georgi Krastev (GERB–UDF) said: “GERB is not against machine voting. That is why we have always supported mixed voting, with both paper and machines.”