Bulgarian President Rosen Plevneliev has said that his veto on recently adopted changes to election rules aim to remind to political parties that citizens have equal rights under the constitution.

"Bulgarians, wherever in the world they are, should be able to exercise their rights. The state should not hamper them but rather make the process easier for them,”  Plevneliev said at a meeting with students on occasion of Europe Day on Monday, according to a statement from the President’s Office.

The creation of obstacles to exercising constitutional rights is a violation of the Constitution, Plevneliev said. He described as illogical the position of political parties pushing for setting limits to the voting rights of Bulgarian citizens residing in non-EU countries.

Plevneliev also said that the changes to the Electoral Code that curb the voting rights of Bulgarian expats run counter to the proposed introduction of remote electronic voting in Bulgarian elections.

"I hope for a responsible debate in the National Assembly," Plevneliev said.

Prime Minister Boyko Borisov said on Sunday that Plevneliev had been right to veto the changes to election rules that restrict the voting rights of Bulgarians residing abroad.

Borisov will meet GERB leadership and MPs on Tuesday to decide what course of action the biggest partner in the governing coalition will take after the president’s veto.

Plevneliev said on Saturday that he would send back to Parliament for further consideration the disputed changes to election rules which he saw as infringement of the voting rights of Bulgarians residing abroad.