Bulgaria allocated nearly 240 million leva (120 million euros) for organizing the three elections held in 2024. Around 35% of these funds went to payments for members of sectional election commissions, according to Iva Lazarova, Chairwoman of the Public Council at the Central Election Commission (CEC) and the Institute for the Development of the Public Environment. In comparison, political parties spent approximately 14 million leva on their election campaigns.

Voter turnout in the country remained significantly lower than in other parts of the world. Lazarova highlighted that Bulgaria’s average turnout across the three election campaigns was around 33%, notably less than the 51% average seen during the European Parliament elections in the EU and far below the approximately 66% turnout recorded in the last US elections. According to her, the campaigns failed to address societal concerns and instead focused largely on internal party conflicts within factions of the Movement for Rights and Freedoms (DPS) and issues surrounding vote manipulation, including controlled and purchased votes.

Regarding disputes over the results of the most recent parliamentary elections, cases filed with the Constitutional Court may lead to reviews in districts where discrepancies exist between official protocols and recount data. Lazarova stressed that while video surveillance proved crucial for identifying these discrepancies, it will not influence the outcome. If discrepancies reveal previously invalid votes that become valid after a recount, the increased threshold for entering the National Assembly could still leave certain parties, such as Velichie, below the required number of votes.

Lazarova also pointed out significant issues in the election process, including deliberate abuses by some members of sectional election commissions and declining public trust in the electoral system. Disagreements over machine versus paper voting have further fueled doubts. She emphasized the need for broad and expert discussions to address these concerns.

Legislative amendments to the Electoral Code, if undertaken, should aim to enhance the entire process, Lazarova argued. However, she warned that changes made by the same political formations that have struggled to gain voter trust over the past four years might fail to achieve meaningful improvements. Repeated election results and allegations of manipulation have undermined confidence in these parties, which are now tasked with amending the rules.

Lazarova stressed the importance of political parties taking responsibility for organizing fair elections. Without such commitment, it will be difficult to encourage higher voter turnout or restore confidence in the integrity of the process. She concluded that the inability to address these systemic challenges continues to hinder Bulgaria’s electoral system and public trust.

Source: Bulgarian National Radio (BNR)