Less than a month remains until the early parliamentary elections. The Ministry of Interior reports more reports of violations and more arrests compared to the previous vote.
In Yambol, it is already heard that vote trading is starting: “For now - 50 euros. At a later stage, it will be raised to 80. In a last resort - up to 100“, bTV revealed.
Our interlocutor says that known buyers have been activated: “People know each other. Everything is known. I just don't know why the police aren't doing anything“.
The signals for election violations have increased by over 1000%, the number of pre-trial proceedings initiated by over 1300%, and the number of detainees by 400%, compared to the same period of the elections in October 2024.
“I think that the main reason we can point to is the will of the current leadership of the Ministry of Interior. So when people see on the spot how I talk to them, what instructions I give them, the confidence I instill in them, then they understand that they can really work qualitatively, quickly, uncompromisingly and firmly, but necessarily legally“, announced the acting Minister of the Interior Emil Dechev.
According to the data of the Ministry of Interior, the most signals come from Sofia, Varna, Veliko Tarnovo and Kyustendil. There are also arrests in Burgas and Haskovo. Most often it is a question of vote buying.
“The high number of these signals for us is an indication of increased trust and expectation that this time the Ministry of Interior will work expeditiously, impartially and not approach formally“, commented Vanya Nusheva, advisor to the acting Prime Minister Andrey Gyurov.“
According to the organizations that have been monitoring the elections in our country for years, the increase in the number of signals about violations of the upcoming vote is natural.
“We are probably observing a higher sensitivity, after all, the protests were about intolerance towards corruption“, says Iva Lazarova from the Institute for the Development of the Public Environment.
The Ministry of Interior assures that trained employees receive and process the signals on the hotline and on a specially created e-mail.