The campaign headquarters of ruling Bulgarian center-right GERB has proposed to the executive committee of the party to give up fundraising for the October 23 presidential and municipal elections.

The proposal to relinquish the aid of donations is motivated by a desire to ensure transparency for the GERB campaign and to free its candidates from accusations of alleged dependency on private interests.

"We think that this will give the opportunity for an open campaign of all GERB candidates, both those for municipal positions, and the presidential tandem. We consider that this decision will guarantee to GERB supporters that their votes will go for specific policies of our party and candidates, rather than for specific corporate interests," reads the position of the GERB campaign team.

The proposal considers that the state subsidy will be sufficient for GERB to finance its campaign for both fall elections.

It also includes the suggestion that to ensure complete transparency, GERB publish all its campaign spendings on its website.

In Bulgaria, legislation mandates that political parties receive a yearly state subsidy amounting to 2% of the minimum wage for the year, for each vote the party has received at the last parliamentary elections.

In the last few weeks, Bulgaria was shaken by a controversy, after it became clear that the Ministry of Interior - governed by vice-PM, GERB vice-chair, and campaign headquarters chair Tsvetan Tsvetanov - has been receiving donations amounting to millions of BGN from private companies and individuals, and has allegedly favored its donors in its work.

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