Operations against Vote Buying, Dozens Detained in Blagoevgrad and Kardzhali Districts

Fresh operations targeting vote buying have been carried out in the Blagoevgrad and Kardzhali regions, with dozens of people detained and significant sums of cash and voter lists seized.

Police and gendarmerie units conducted checks in several settlements in the Blagoevgrad region early this morning, March 27. Thirty people were detained following checks at addresses in Petrich, Sandanski, Razlog and the village of Mikrevo.

Georgi Kandev, Chief Secretary of the Interior Ministry: “In the Blagoevgrad district, more than 30 people have been detained, over 30 warning protocols have been issued, and four pre-trial proceedings have been initiated for crimes against citizens’ political rights.”

Residents in one of the inspected neighbourhoods denied any vote trading:
“We haven’t heard of votes being bought or sold this year — the law is now very strict and people are afraid.”
“There’s no money for anyone — we won’t be voting, that’s it.”
“They’re just doing their job — carrying out checks because someone has filed false reports.”

A similar operation is under way in the Kardzhali region, where notebooks containing names and cash have been seized.

Two people have been detained in Kardzhali. Authorities have received 13 reports, three of which concern allegations of votes being exchanged for the cancellation of debts in local shops.

One local resident told BNT:
“They do give money — why wouldn’t they?”
“How much?”
“I haven’t taken any, but people say…”
“How much?”
“They said about fifty.”
“Fifty euros?”
“Yes, now it’s in euros.”
“Who gives it?”
“I don’t know.”

In the Momchilgrad area, officers seized four notebooks containing names and phone numbers, along with sums of money in euros.

Commissioner Atanas Chotrov, head of the Public Order Police sector at the Kardzhali Regional Directorate, said: “We have detained two individuals. One is linked to vote buying in the Momchilgrad municipality, at a commercial site where four notebooks were found containing names, phone numbers and more than €5,500 in cash.”

Eight people have also been detained for vote buying in Karnobat. More than €13,000 in cash, along with lists of names and copies of identity documents, were discovered during searches. Several pre-trial proceedings have been opened.