The Bulgarian Constitutional Court has confirmed suspicions of electoral fraud benefiting "DPS - New Beginning," led by Delyan Peevski, despite previous claims that the elections were fair. According to a forensic examination, at least 273 ballots from certain polling stations were filled out by one or two individuals. The affected ballots were found in the villages of Galiche, Lom, and Bukovlak, where Peevski's party had the highest number of votes. Following a recount, these ballots were declared invalid.

Further irregularities were uncovered in the October 27, 2024, elections, with 55 Bulgarian citizens voting both domestically and abroad, while another 10 individuals cast votes outside the country despite lacking eligibility. The General Directorate of Civil Registration and Administrative Services (GRAO) conducted the verification, though due to the secrecy of the vote, it remains unclear which parties received these illegitimate ballots. The Constitutional Court's decision, however, did not exclude these votes from the final election results.

Yanaki Stoilov, one of the two rapporteurs in the Constitutional Court's case on election legality, revealed that he and his colleagues intended to notify the prosecutor’s office if electoral violations were confirmed. He mentioned that a letter had been drafted requesting an investigation into possible criminal offenses. Stoilov pointed to significant irregularities in polling stations in Northwestern Bulgaria, where inspectors observed ballots completed with identical handwriting. As a result, nearly 300 ballots were invalidated. He hinted at the possibility of entire election commissions being compromised but refrained from making explicit accusations.

The leader of the "Greatness" party, Ivelin Mihaylov, claimed that he was offered between 50 and 100 million (currency unspecified) to either withdraw from politics or support GERB and "DPS - New Beginning." Mihaylov alleged that the offer was made while the final 0.27% of votes were still being counted. He stated that figures operating behind the scenes had previously approached him with similar requests to support GERB and Peevski’s party discreetly. Mihaylov refused the offer, suggesting that this was the reason behind GERB leader Boyko Borissov and Peevski’s recent frustration. He did not file a report with the prosecutor’s office, citing distrust in the institution, and further claimed that his financial assets had been frozen.

The court’s ruling also sparked political controversy. "Revival" party leader Kostadin Kostadinov accused the Constitutional Court of orchestrating a political coup by annulling the election of 17 MPs, thereby altering the composition of the National Assembly. He claimed that the court’s decision effectively manipulated the entry of "Greatness" into parliament, at the expense of his own party. According to Kostadinov, approximately 20,000 votes cast for "Revival" were disregarded to accommodate Peevski's alleged political maneuvering.

"Revival" was not the only party to challenge the court's decision. Toshko Yordanov, chair of the parliamentary group of "There Is Such a People" (TISP), argued that the votes should have been recounted rather than annulled. His colleague, MP Stanislav Balabanov, characterized the ruling as a "political provocation" aimed at destabilizing the existing political order. He criticized the fact that 11 Constitutional Court judges had effectively decided the fate of the election.

As a result of the court’s decision, the Central Election Commission announced the names of new MPs, with three of them already taking the oath of office. This brought the total number of active deputies to 227, with an additional 12 expected to be sworn in soon. Among the new members entering the National Assembly is Ivelin Mihaylov, the leader of "Greatness." Other newly announced MPs include Seifi Mehmedali ("DPS - New Beginning"), Samuil Slavov (MECH), Ivaylo Kostadinov ("There Is Such a People"), and several representatives from "Greatness," including Yuliana Mateeva, Pavlin Petrov, and Larissa Savova.

The legitimacy of the election process remains under scrutiny, with legal and political disputes continuing over the fairness of the results. While the Constitutional Court has ruled on the matter, opposition figures argue that the decision has altered the political landscape in a way that benefits Peevski’s party and its allies.

Who is Peevski?
Delyan Peevski is a Bulgarian politician, media mogul, and businessman, widely associated with the Movement for Rights and Freedoms (DPS). He has been a controversial figure due to his influence over Bulgaria’s media landscape and allegations of corruption and behind-the-scenes political dealings.

His biggest controversy erupted in 2013 when he was briefly appointed as the head of Bulgaria’s State Agency for National Security (SANS), sparking mass protests and accusations of state capture. Over the years, he has been accused of using his media empire and political connections for personal and corporate gain.

In 2021, the U.S. sanctioned Peevski under the Magnitsky Act for alleged corruption, claiming he was involved in bribery and illicit influence over public institutions. Despite this, he remains a powerful figure in Bulgarian politics, recently rebranding his political faction as "DPS – New Beginning."