Bozhidar Bozhanov and Elisaveta Belobradova from the WCC-DB parliamentary group voiced strong concerns about proposed changes to Bulgaria’s Electoral Code, particularly the introduction of new scanners and the closure of the Central Election Commission (CPC). Speaking on NOVA NEWS, they highlighted the potential risks and lack of preparation associated with the plan.

Bozhanov explained that implementing entirely new election technology, such as scanners, requires time to purchase and install the devices, redesign ballots, and train voters. He warned that the Central Election Commission might not have sufficient time to implement these changes before upcoming elections, which could result in reverting to paper ballots. The current draft of the Electoral Code, he noted, phases out the existing voting machines in favor of scanners only. Bozhanov stressed that machine voting remains more accurate than human counting, citing past discrepancies where manual tallies, not machines, were at fault. He emphasized that all parties have access to the voting machine code and can verify the results publicly, and that attempts to alter the machines are prevented by distributed password keys held by different members of the CEC.

Concerns over the proposed scanners also extend to ballot secrecy. Bozhanov highlighted that removing the second seal on ballots, as the draft law suggests, would make it impossible to detect manipulations known as the “Bulgarian train,” where completed ballots are swapped for empty ones. He stressed that proper use of current machines prevents such fraud, which is harder to monitor with scanners.

The discussion also touched on international examples. Bozhanov referenced Venezuela, where election machines were allegedly manipulated by the Central Election Commission under Nicolas Maduro, while machine protocols allowed the opposition to identify vote distortions. He further noted that previous protests in Bulgaria had successfully led to budget adjustments, government resignations, and the cancellation of a legal commission, demonstrating the public’s insistence on fair elections and machine voting.

Belobradova added that the changes are designed to mislead citizens and reintroduce mass paper voting, which historically results in hundreds of thousands of invalid ballots. She criticized the new devices as untested and only known through theories and online videos, calling their introduction two months before the election impossible.

On the political front, Belobradova accused GERB-SDS of functioning merely as a front for Delyan Peevski, claiming the party no longer acts independently. She also criticized procedural tactics used to cancel the legal committee session, arguing that breaks were deliberately employed to prevent committees from uncovering electoral manipulation and facing citizen protests.

The MPs also touched on education policy, particularly the new requirement for mandatory religion classes in schools. Belobradova described this as election propaganda, arguing that the current parliament’s mandate is limited to ensuring fair elections, not pursuing structural reforms or initiatives affecting children.

Bozhanov and Belobradova concluded that the proposed Electoral Code changes, including the introduction of scanners and the CPC closure, carry serious risks of fraud, threaten transparency, and could undermine public trust in the electoral process. Their message emphasized the need for verified machine voting, public control, and careful procedural safeguards to protect the integrity of Bulgarian elections.