THE OMBUDSMAN ABOUT CONTROLLED VOTE IN BULGARIA

As a guest of the BNT morning programme, Bulgaria’s Ombudsman, Konstatin Penchev, said he fully supported the preferential voting and it should be compulsory. Penchev noted that in the recently held European elections, voters were not given clear explanations that there was no reserved place in the lists of candidates. He explained that because most citizens did not know about the preferential voting, they did not show their preference and this led to some unexpected results in the vote.

The Ombudsman called for citizens who witnessed any violations or interference in the process of the European elections to report them to him.

He explained he could provide legal assistance to employees who were obligated by their employers to vote for a particular political party.

On 26^th May, Penchev requested an examination to be undertaken by the Labour Inspection Agency into the case with the employees from ‘Bobov Dol’ coal mines. Days ahead of the European elections, a TV channel showed a hidden camera footage revealing how the manager of one of the pits reminds the workers the number of the ballot they have to cast. The miners received higher advanced payments and the manager also promised those who vote for this particular party would receive their salaries earlier. The footage also showed queues of people waiting in front of a shop to use the food coupons they had been given at work. These coupons can be used only in one particular shop and this shop is owned by the proprietor of the mine.

The national Ombudsman stated that he was shocked by the disgraceful practice of vote buying and corporate voting which was shown by the hidden camera. He clarified that he was talking about the case in Bobov Dol mines. Penchev added that as much as he was appalled by the controlled voting arrangements, he was more horrified by what was happening in front of the shop, owned by the proprietor of the mine. ”These people, who do not receive any salaries, but just advanced payments at the amount of 100 BGN each, just before the elections received advanced payments of 150 BGN each. And like some sort of slaves or serfs they go shopping only in this particular grocery, for which they have coupons, but in which there is no great variety of goods”, that is how Penchev described the picture. He added that he read about similar things in history books, having happened at the rise of capitalism in the United Kingdom 2 or 3 centuries ago. He noted that it was unacceptable such practices to take place in Bulgaria in 21^st century.

Penchev remarked that he had referred the issue to the Labour Inspection agency and insisted for an overall examination to identify whether the employer paid the salaries regularly or not and the basis for issuing coupons. He highlighted the fact that large groups of people were into a position to be counted as votes or as cattle and that made him initiate actions. “Not a single worker submitted a complaint to me. Can you picture how horrible that is?! People are afraid to submit complaints. And although none of the workers asked me for help, I took the initiative to address the problem”, he said.

The Ombudsman urged people to report any violations to him and said he would refer them to the relevant authorities for investigation.

The Ombudsman was convinced that the main remedy against such perversions was "every body to vote because everyone who lives in Bulgaria, no matter whether they choose to vote or not, has to take responsibility and prevent such disgraceful things from happening in Bulgaria', the Ombudsman said..

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