site.btaCentral Election Commission Stops Distribution of Book Smearing Parliamentary Candidates of Yes, Bulgaria! Coalition

Central Election Commission Stops Distribution of Book Smearing Parliamentary Candidates of Yes, Bulgaria! Coalition

Sofia, March 16 (BTA) - Following a complaint by the Yes, Bulgaria! coalition, the Central Election Commission (CEC) stopped the distribution of a book that smears several parliamentary candidates of the coalition. The decision was made public Wednesday evening, shortly after Yes, Bulgaria! made public their alert to the election authorities.

Entitled "Thieves of Democracy", the book was released earlier this week and is circulated by the publisher of "Telegraf" daily. It is available nation-wide at no charge.

Yes, Bulgaria! wrote in their alert to CEC that the book violates the election legislation by containing allegations which aim to disgrace candidates for Parliament amid the election campaign. They said the violation was committed by the publisher of the book and by notorious businessman/politician Delyan Peevski who is connected with the publishing company and exercises control over its ownership and management.

According to experts consulted by the plaintiffs, the book cost over 200,000 leva to produce. This is more than the entire campaign budget of Yes, Bulgaria!, the coalition said.

CEC agrees that the Election Code is violated by the book and more particularly by the photo collage on its cover, and by "some negative comments in the book concerning the candidates' activity, which clearly harm them and their dignity".

CEC, however, say that the responsibility for this rests solely with the manager of the publishing company and that there is no proof that Delyan Peevski in any way violated the Election Code.

Following the CEC decision, the case will be forwarded to the Sofia Regional Governor to draw up a penal decree.