The Bulgarian Foreign Affairs Ministry has announced the opening of 227 voting polls abroad for the May 12 snap general elections.

According to the Ministry's spokesperson, Dimitar Yaprakov, expats have submitted 83 884 voting applications of which 11 000 online.

There will be polls in 56 countries – in 39 of them the polls are located inside diplomatic missions. In the remaining 17, polls will open at other locations as well.

In the last general elections in 2009, there have been 274 polls in 58 countries.

According to the Election Code, 20 applications are needed in order to open a voting poll in a city where Bulgaria has a consular office or diplomatic representation, while where there is no such representation, the number of required applications is 100.

The largest number of voting polls – 86 – will open in neighboring Turkey, followed by Spain – 24.

Bulgarians in Italy will vote in Milan, Naples, and Rome; in Germany – in Berlin, Hamburg and Magdeburg, but not in Dusseldorf, where the applications are 95.

Eleven polls will be open in the US; 12 – in Great Britain with 2 of them in London, where 3 548 applications have been received.

There will be two polls in Afghanistan – Kabul and Kandahar, where Bulgarian rangers are stationed.

Bulgarians in Macedonia will vote in Skopje and Bitola.

According to Yaprakov, Brazil, Bahrain, Estonia, Cuba, Nepal, Lithuania, Pakistan and Thailand have not allowed the opening of polls over insufficient number of applications or lack of diplomatic representations.

In others, such as Belarus, Indonesia, Singapore, India, Kazakhstan, Libya, Oman, Monte Negro, and Uzbekistan, there are permits, but not enough applications.

We need your support so Novinite.com can keep delivering news and information about Bulgaria! Thank you!