Stefan Manov: Amendments to Electoral Code Capping Polling Stations Abroad Should Be Repealed

Amendments to the Election Code limiting the numebr of polling stations abroad should be repealed by the new parliamentary majority, according to Stefan Manov of the Public Council to the Central Election Commission.

Speaking on Bulgarian National Television’s morning programme on April 21, he argued that restricting the voting rights of Bulgarian citizens outside the European Union is unconstitutional and breaches established good electoral practices.

Stefan Manov, Public Council to the Central Election Commission, said:

“Unfortunately, the drama that many of us anticipated — the severe restriction of the voting rights of Bulgarian citizens outside the EU — has fully unfolded. We have witnessed something quite shameful for Bulgarian democracy: people being deprived of their right to vote. I believe there is a simple solution — the new National Assembly, with a clear majority — and indeed Mr Radev thanked Bulgarian voters abroad — here is how that gratitude can be shown: a law with a single paragraph could be adopted within minutes to repeal the amendments to the Election Code.”

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