The Bulgarian legal affairs parliamentary committee adopted at third extraordinary sitting on Tuesday amendments to the Electoral Code which foresee the introduction of compulsory voting.

According to the proposed amendments, voting will become a duty of citizens, with those voting eligible to rewards, while those not casting their ballot will be subject to penalties.

The exact nature of the rewards for voters was not clarified, but the proposals for participation in а raffle with various prizes or entitlement to discount on tax return was rejected.

The rewards for voters will not be compulsory, but optional and will be determined by the Council of Ministers.

Those who do not cast their vote will be deregistered from the electoral roll for the next elections, daily Dnevnik informs.

In order to be able to vote at the next elections, they will have to submit a written request to the municipal administration. The request has to be submitted not later than thirty days before the elections take place.

Deregistered people will still be able to vote by appealing the decision or by requesting to be added to the electoral roll on the day of the elections.

Voters will not be deregistered if they are able to provide reasonable excuses such as incidental absence from the country, illness, study or work commitments and other unforeseen circumstances.

Deregistration will not be applicable to people with lasting disabilities, impaired sight, hampered mobility as well as people aged above 70 years and Bulgarians living abroad.

The MPs rejected the proposed imposition of fines or the revocation of social benefits for three months for those not casting a ballot.