Bulgaria's Electoral Body Processing Ballots 19 Hours Past Deadline

CEC Spokesperson Biser Troyanov has assured that the official results will be announced as soon as possible, attributing the delay to the extraordinary workload. Photo by BGNES

The electoral administration servicing the October 23 "2 in 1" vote is still accepting protocols although the statutory deadline for the announcement of the official results expired more than 19 hours ago, according to Biser Troyanov, Spokesperson of the Central Electoral Commission (CEC).

Troyanov explained that CEC was still processing the protocols of Sofia's municipal electoral commission for both the presidential and the local vote.

The CEC Spokesperson refused to commit to a deadline for the publication of the end results of the elections, saying that the task would hopefully be wrapped up by the end of the day.

CEC was bound to announce the official results within 48 hours of the end of the election day but the statutory deadline expired at 9 p.m. on 25 October.

Troyanov also noted that Sofia's municipal electoral commission had not yet offered an explanation for the unwarranted presence of two MPs of center-right ruling party GERB at the premises of the unit in the Universiada Hall.

He added, however, that the only people entitled to access vote counting points were members sectional and municipal electoral commissions.

"I would also like to make it clear that the cancellation of election results depends solely on the decision of the Supreme Administrative Court (VAS), which examines the contested results by municipalities and by type of elections," Troyanov remarked.

He specified that it was within VAS' powers to determine whether a violation had taken place, whether it was substantial and whether it had an impact on the election results.

Troyanov also told journalists that media outlets were supposed to provide coverage for the new round of the election campaign only after CEC's decision for the candidates allowed at the runoff stage.

Despite that, the fact that the candidates were already meeting with their constituencies did not run against the Election Code, CEC's Spokesperson added in conclusion.

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