The official pre-election campaign for the presidential elections and the referendum starts on October 7.

The campaign will continue until 24:00 hrs on November 4. After that, agitation will be banned until the end of the election deadline on November 6.

The most important thing in the campaign is not to mix agitation for the referendum with agitation for the elections themselves, reported BNR.

The presidential tandems are 21. The main candidates for the post said that they are entering a race and not a fight, and promised a correct campaign without compromising blows. Most of the candidates will rely on a “face-to-face” campaign with the electorate by travelling across the country. There will be a campaign in the social media as well.

As of Friday, the publication and reporting of anonymous materials related to the campaign has been banned. When media show paid campaign materials, they have to do so in an appropriate manner. The campaign must be carried out in Bulgarian.

Agitation materials – posters, billboards, videos etc. must state explicitly that the selling and buying of votes is a crime. Commercials may not relay political messages.

“The Bulgarian flag and the Bulgarian coat-of-arms may not be used in campaign materials. The same is valid for the flags of other countries. All candidates must have equal access to information,” said the spokesperson of the Central Election Commission Andreev.

Bulgarians abroad who wish to vote have to file their declarations by October 11.