Bulgaria parliament passes amendments to Election Code

 Bulgaria’s National Assembly was to debate Thursday 14 draft bills on amendments to the Election Code.
The parliamentary group of mandate-holder Citizens for European Development of Bulgaria (CEDB) proposed individuals serving prison sentences for crimes that are not serious have the right to vote.
The CEDB also proposed election campaigns last for 21 days instead of 30 days.
Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) Leftist Bulgaria proposed the conditions for appointing members of polling station electoral commissions are reconsidered and the way of filling in voting protocols changes.
Part of the proposals of the Movement for Rights and Freedoms (MRF) were connected with amending the too low threshold envisaged in the existing law on validity of preferences.
The Patriotic Front parliamentary group tabled a proposal relating to the introduction of compulsory voting. 
The Bulgarian Democratic Centre (BDC) proposed the chair, deputy chairs, and secretary of the Central Electoral Commission (CEC) are elected by the parliament.
Under current legislation, the CEC members are appointed on the strength of a decree of the President for a period of 5 years after consultations are held and at the proposal of the parliamentary parties.
Part of the Alternative for Bulgarian Revival (ABV)’s proposals concerned the introduction of machine voting. 
Speaking during the debates some lawmakers presented their parliamentary groups’ proposals.
“The Patriotic Front proposes compulsory voting and that electioneering materials at elections cost up to BGN 2,” Valeri Simeonov, Chairperson of the Patriotic Front parliamentary group, said.
“We raise the issue of compulsory voting in Bulgaria. Compulsory voting increases the legitimacy of elected bodies to a greater extent and gives a meaning to the term of democracy as a form of governing the entire nation,” the politician commented.
In his view, compulsory voting will influence the scale and volume of political parties’ financing.
Chetin Kazak, Co-Chairperson of the MRF and MRF lawmaker, also made a statement.
“All Bulgarian citizens should be given the opportunity to spread and receive messages in a language different than the official one during election campaigns,” he said.
In Kazak’s words, the right to use a language different than the official one during election campaigns exists in all European countries.
Danail Kirilov, MP with the CEDB, presented his parliamentary group’s proposals.
“We have proposed election campaigns last for 21, not 30, days to alleviate voters’ boredom and so that parties can have good discipline in conducting it,” he said.
Kirilov presented in brief the main things proposed in the CEDB’s draft bill.
“We proposed a 32nd multi-mandate electoral constituency is opened abroad. Along with that, we propose the rule determining the number of mandates […] is cancelled. We aim at giving Bulgarians abroad the opportunity to directly elect candidates through this proposal and marking preferences on a separate ticket, which we hope will lead to an increase in voter turnout and in the interest of Bulgarians there,” the lawmaker pointed out.
The MPs passed later on Thursday 11 draft bills on amendments to the Election Code at first reading.
They approved the establishment of a 32nd multi-mandate electoral constituency and the introduction of compulsory voting.
Election campaigns will last for 21 days instead of 30 days.
The MPs backed the amendments to the Election Code tabled by mandate-holder CEDB. The amendments were backed by 122 lawmakers, 39 voted against them, while 16 abstained.
The amendments envisage the establishment of a 32nd multi-mandate electoral constituency for voters in foreign countries, and 21-day election campaigns.
Other amendments proposed by the CEDB envisage for print and online media to be able to cover for free the election campaigns of parties.
The election day will begin at 7:00 a.m. instead of at 6:00 a.m. and will end at 8:00 p.m., not at 7:00 p.m.
The MPs also passed the amendments to the Election Code proposed by the BSP Leftist Bulgaria. They were backed by 86 lawmakers, while 29 voted against them and 50 abstained.
The amendments decrease the required level of education of members of polling station electoral commissions and of municipal electoral commissions.
The parliament also accepted the amendments proposed by Yavor Haytov, MP with the BDC.
The MPs also adopted the amendments tabled by non-attached MP Lyutvi Mestan, which envisage a change to preferences. The amendments were backed by 117 MPs, 28 voted against, while 27 abstained.
The lawmakers approved the Election Code amendments proposed by the Patriotic Front, which envisage compulsory voting.
Electioneering materials at elections will cost up to BGN 2, according to the amendments.
The parliament greenlighted as well the Election Code amendments tabled by the Reformist Bloc parliamentary group that introduce machine counting of ballots. 161 MPs backed the proposals, while 11 lawmakers voted against them.
The National Assembly also approved the amendments proposed by the ABV. 149 MPs voted in their favour, 2 voted against them, while 20 MPs abstained.
They envisage the introduction of machine voting in 5,000 polling stations at the forthcoming elections and in all polling stations on the territory of Bulgaria as of 2018.
The parliament accepted one more proposal made by Reformist Bloc MP Petar Slavov, which envisages for the numbering of preferences on ballots to drop, and another proposal made by Slavov’s colleague Nastimir Ananiev.
The parliament also passed two proposals of Dimitar Delchev, MP with the Reformist Bloc, that aims active registration of people and prohibit religious leaders from electioneering during election campaigns.
The parliament rejected the amendments to the Election Code tabled by independent MPs Georgi Kadiev and Lyutvi Mestan as well as a proposal tabled by the parliamentary group of Ataka party.
Chetin Kazak, Co-chairperson of the MRF and MRF MP, addressed the lawmakers over their voting on the introduction of compulsory voting, saying they had voted an anti-constitutional text.
Tsetska Tsacheva, Chairperson of the National Assembly, said nothing had been yet introduced as this was not voting at first reading.
“If this proposal remains the same in the final version, you can be certain the Constitutional Court will reverse it,” Kazak noted.

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