The deposit required for participation in presidential elections is raised from BGN250 to BGN 5,000, the Parliament voted. The new requirement is part of the changes in the President and Vice President Election Act. The presidential election campaign officially starts when the candidates` names are announced in the `Official Gazette` and closes 24 hours before the polling day, the National Assembly also resolved. BGN 2 M is the maximum sum to be used for one candidate pair of President and Vice-President. A single campaign donation from a natural person may not exceed BGN 10,000, while juristic persons are allowed to donate BGN30,000 the most. Funding is not allowed from foreign states, foreign juristic and natural persons, joint ventures whose foreign-owned capital exceeds 25 per cent of the total, and legal bodies majority-owned by the State or municipalities. A separate white voting slip will be used for each pair of candidates. The National Assembly will elect a 21-member Central Electoral Commission (CEC). In case of a runoff, the debates on the National Television and the National Radio will not be longer than 60 min, instead of 90 min. Violators of this Act will be fined between BGN 500 and BGN 30,000. The Act will be enforced on the day of its promulgation in `Official Gazette.`

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