Ministry of Interior launched operations against vote buying

Police raids against vote-buying for the upcoming parliamentary elections took place across Bulgaria on September 20. Private homes as well as commercial establishments were searched. People were arrested.

In the Black Sea coastal city of Bourgas, according to unofficial information, three people were detained. In one of the houses in the Pobeda district, special forces found many lists with names, credit cards and gold. There are reports that the family also involved in usury, which is one of the classic vote-buying schemes - forgiving debts in exchange for support. The house is owned by Krassimir Stoyanov, according to his relatives he is in the UK and the detainees are from his family. The arrests have also caused tension.

"Did you see a minor child being led out of the house, handcuffed and with three masked men".

"He is my son. He worked hard. I don't know about usury, if it's true or not true. I can't say, because I was out. I have not been home long, I came back a while ago. I don't know what cards you are talking about," Sergei Stoyanov said.

A pawnshop owner was detained in Varna. Establishments in the municipalities of Provadia, Dalgopol and Vetrino were searched, in two of them personal documents and a large amount of money were seized.

"The target of the check are commercial establishments, mostly food shops, which offer goods on credit. Establishments offering firewood for heating to citizens, financial institutions that give quick loans, as well as pawnshops," said senior inspector Valentin Trifonov from the Provadia district police station.

In Nova Zagora, the police operation was conducted jointly with the National Revenue Agency and gendarmerie teams.

"Since the beginning of today's operation, 5 private addresses, 6 pawnshops and 2 retail outlets have been checked. Four persons have been detained," said Senior Inspector Dimitar Kikyov.

Three of them were arrested for drug possession, one for driving a car with foreign plates. Police raids will continue in the coming days.