“The elections law provides opportunities to hire additional experts and there was no obstacle before such a measure,” Bulgarian Ombudsman Maya Manolova said speaking for Nova TV in a commentary on the tension at the Arena Armeec sports hall where the electoral protocols of Sofia are processed.

“I will not join the game of shifting the hot potato to one another. I would like to recall that the act was adopted two years ago and there have been two elections since then, which passed without problems,” Manolova, who was active participant in act’s working out, said.

Asked why she set 19 members per commission to handle the ballot papers of 1,800 polling stations, Manolova said that this was not stated in the Elections Code.

“The number of the members of electoral commissions was decreased so as to allow them to hire additional experts,” she added.