Operations Across the Country Target Vote Buying Ahead of Elections

Traditionally, ahead of elections, a series of operations have been carried out across the country against vote buying. Thousands of euros have been seized from various addresses, along with lists containing dozens of names and personal data. Envelopes containing €50 each had also been prepared, to be given in exchange for a vote for a particular political party. More than 10 people have been arrested, and law enforcement operations are continuing.

A large-scale operation against vote buying was carried out in Burgas. Searches at various addresses uncovered lists of specific names, as well as €7,000. Six people were arrested, one of them a pastor.

Marin Dimitrov, head of Security Police in the coastal city of Burgas: “The individual is directly involved with a particular religious community and in this way can exert influence and direct people to vote for a specific party.”

In Plovdiv, former municipal councillor Ayri Murad, who became notoriously known as the first municipal councillor in the city without a completed secondary education, was also arrested. Murad was taken by police from the house where he lives in the Stolipinovo district.

“He has prior criminal records, mainly for hooliganism, he always draws attention ahead of elections.”

Searches were also carried out in Valchedram and Lom (Northern Bulgaria). In both locations, lists of names and written figures, as well as large sums of money, were discovered.

Nearly €13,000 and a notebook containing names and figures were found during an operation against vote buying in Lom.

Georgi Kandev, acting Chief Secretary of the Interior Ministry: “At another address linked to the case, €24,500 were found, for which the owner could not provide a reasonable explanation, and pre-trial proceedings have been initiated. In the town of Lom, in a house, €12,780 were found hidden in a bag inside a wardrobe. The banknotes were €50 notes, some of which were placed in a separate envelope.”

Electoral violations were also identified in Kyustendil (Southwestern Bulgaria). Police presence at the entrances and exits of the Iztok district has been increased. Eight pre-trial proceedings have been initiated, seven of them fast-track. The scheme is a familiar one.

Raycho Omerski, director of the Regional Directorate of the Interior Ministry in Kyustendil: “Cash sums, excise goods without tax stamps, and drugs have been found.”

Police in Shumen (Northern Bulgaria) carried out searches in private and commercial premises, with three people detained.

Senior Commissioner Georgi Gendov: “So far, operations have been carried out at six addresses. Lists of names and sums have been found, with the expected amount ranging between €40 and €50 per vote.”

photos by BNT, BTA

In Ihtiman, lists and identity cards of Bulgarian citizens were also found in the home of a man with a criminal record. Pre-trial proceedings have been initiated in this case as well.