The caretaker government adopts a decision on the preparation and conduct of the early elections

The Council of Ministers on February 3 adopted a decision on the preparation and holding of the general elections on 2 April 2023.

The Cabinet entrusted the Deputy Prime Minister for Public Order and Security and Minister of the Interior, Ivan Demerdzhiev, with the coordination of the implementation of the activities related to the organisational and technical preparation of the elections, including the activities related to the coordination with the Central Election Commission of the conditions and procedures for the production, delivery and storage of the election papers and materials, as well as the storage of the technical devices for the voting machine. The Minister of the Interior should organise the implementation of activities within the competence of the Ministry of the Interior in connection with the preparation and conduct of the elections.

The Minister of Finance shall submit to the Council of Ministers a draft tariff for the payment of election broadcasts by parties, coalitions and initiative committees on Bulgarian National Television and Bulgarian National Radio and their regional centres.

According to the government decision, the Minister of Regional Development and Public Works will coordinate the preparation and publication of the electoral lists, while the Minister of Foreign Affairs should organise the preparation and production of the elections outside the country. The Minister for Justice should organise the preparation and conduct of elections in places of detention. The Minister for e-Government shall organise the technical arrangements for the video surveillance and video recording referred to in Article 57(1) of the Constitution. 1, item 34 of the Electoral Code.

The decision of the Council of Ministers also stipulates that the Deputy Prime Minister for Public Order and Security and Minister of the Interior, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Minister of Regional Development and Public Works, the Minister of Health, the Minister of e-Government and the Minister of Justice will inform the Prime Minister about the progress of the preparations for the elections until the announcement of the election results. The Cabinet also assigns the Minister of Justice to issue the penal orders under section 496(1) of the Constitution. 3, second sentence of the Electoral Code.