Low Turnout in Bulgaria’s EU Elections, Vote-Buying Schemes Revealed

Approximately 2 hours before the closure of the polling stations in Bulgaria’s European elections, the voter turnout was 27.42%.

At the same time during the 2009 EU elections, the turnout was 28.10%, the Bulgarian National Television reported.

Meanwhile, Bulgaria’s Prosecution revealed that 11 pre-trial proceedings have been initiated for vote-buying. The Ministry of Interior has received 170 signals for electoral irregularities.

Reporters from the Bulgarian National Television revealed a scheme for vote-buying in a Roma neighborhood in Burgas, after infiltrating an undercover journalist.

In another BNT report, attempts for manipulation in Plovdiv’s Roma neighborhood Stolipinovo came to the surface. Votes were selling at BGN 20 – 50.

Earlier this week, Nova TV revealed a secret footage showing controlled voting among miners in Bobov Dol. It was understood that the head of the mine will hand out voucher coupons instead of full salaries to the employees. These vouchers can only be used in a specific retail chain, which would pull out its products in case the local polling station shows results different from those that were ordered.

The recordings show that the party standing behind this manipulation is the ruling Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP).

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