Bulgarian Parliament Approves Prepaid Electoral Media Campaigns

Bulgaria's Parliament has approved a set of rules for electoral campaigning in print and online media, as well as those regarding national TV and radio stations.

All of the parties will have equal access to the services of both print and online media, which also means they will be offered the same prices for coverage.

The space in the media will have to be prepaid.

On the Bulgarian National Radio (BNR) and Bulgarian National Television (BNT), 40-second videos will be presenting the competing parties, coalitions and committees free of charge.

On both public broadcasters, the participants in elections will dispose of a total of 240 minutes of airtime for election debates, this amount of time being equally distributed among participants.

Paid agitation videos will be allowed to political parties on terms announced by the management of the BNR and BNT.

Political campaigning remains banned in commercial advertisement.