Ministry of Interior reports 30% increase in vote-trading investigations

Another attack by the caretaker Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, Boyko Rashkov, against GERB and MRF. He declared the two parties as record holders in vote buying in the November 14 elections.

The Ministry of Interior reported more than a 30% increase in vote-buying investigations compared to the July 11 elections. 122 are the pre-trial proceedings in these elections. According to the caretaker Minister Boyko Rashkov, a sentence in Pleven for vote trading has already entered into force.

The Minister expressed indignation at the voting in Turkey in the November 14 elections, even hinting that there was interference from Bulgaria’s Southern neighbour.

In these 122 pre-trial proceedings, which we have initiated and which we are investigating - the record holders are again GERB and MRF, which constantly place this sign of equality between the fight against crime and repression. Radically different concepts, but politically convenient. But now hardly anyone believes, seeing how the confidence of the Bulgarian electorate in these parties is collapsing. And for us in the course of the investigation it is no secret that they partner with each other, including with votes, said Boyko Rashkov.

He cited as an example a candidate for MP in the Sofia region, in whose home traces of this crime were found - the one who received money and had to prove that he voted for the MRF.

According to the investigating authorities, this is the MRF candidate Sando Stefanov Zahariev, who is last on the list. The seized materials are to be reported to the prosecutor's office in order to assess whether to request his immunity as a candidate for MP.

The Ministry of Interior reported that the convoying of the machines provided for voting abroad has started. The Central Election Commission is also expected to submit the plan for transporting the machines to the polling stations in Bulgaria.