site.btaPresident Plevneliev: A Stronger Role of Referenda in Bulgaria's Political Life Will Benefit Everyone - Parties, Citizens, Institutions

President Plevneliev: A Stronger Role of Referenda in Bulgaria's Political Life Will Benefit Everyone - Parties, Citizens, Institutions

Sofia, June 3 (BTA) - President Rosen Plevneliev Wednesday
submitted in Parliament a proposal to hold a national referendum
on main principles related to Bulgarian citizens' election
rights, concurrently with the local elections on October 25,
Plevneliev's press secretariat said.

Following consultations with the parliamentary represented
forces, the head of State once again proposes that the MPs adopt
a resolution on conducting a national referendum consisting of
three questions:

1. Do you support that part of the MPs be elected in accordance
with the majority voting system? 2. Do you support the
introduction of compulsory voting at elections and national
referendums? 3. Do you support the introduction of an option for
distant electronic voting at elections and referendums?

In January 2014, Plevneliev suggested the holding of a national
referendum on the same questions but in June the 42nd National
Assembly rejected both his proposal and another one, submitted
by an initiative committee with a petition containing over
500,000 signatures.

According to the President's reasoning, the introduction of a
mixed voting system combines the advantages of the majority rule
and the proportional system and reduces their disadvantages.

Regarding the introduction of compulsory voting at elections and
national referendums, Plevneliev argues that this will make
Bulgarians who, for one reason or another, have distanced
themselves from the political life in the country, cast their
vote. Compulsory voting is also an instrument against the most
vicious practices: corporate, manipulated and bought votes.

Regarding the introduction of an option for distant electronic
voting at elections and referendums, the head of State argues
that this will lead to higher voter turnout and more people
feeling that they are politically represented.

According to the President, there is no stronger instrument for
increasing citizens' trust than a referendum. "The use of
direct democracy proves that politicians serve the people,"
Plevneliev's reasoning reads.

Bulgarian society expects that the referendums will turn into a
working instrument for solving key matters of principle, the
proposal reads further.

"Holding a referendum is the sole mechanism after which we can
have an obligatory decision binding the politicians. This is a
means to achieve real and stable democracy," Plevneliev says in
his reasoning.

Later on Wednesday, the head of State delivered an address to
the nation over the Bulgarian National Television and the
Bulgarian National Radio to present his proposal for a national
referendum on election rules. "If we strengthen the role of
referenda in our political life, this will benefit everyone -
parties, citizens and institutions," he said in his address.

Plevneliev also said that the Bulgarian civil society is
"mature" enough to express its position directly on matters
important for the country. "In the last years we are witnessing
a dangerous process of delegitimization of institutions, parties
and the political system as a whole," he noted and added that
part of the reasons for this lie in the lost faith that every
citizens matters and can change the country through his or her
vote.

Plevneliev described as a good sign Parliament's work on the
adoption of amendments to the act on referenda. He expressed the
hope that the initiation of the referendum on election rules
will clear the way for more referenda in the future.

He explained that he proposes this referendum because there is
nothing more natural than asking Bulgarian voters about the
rules under which they wish to nominate their representatives.
The idea behind the suggestion to hold the referendum together
with the local elections is to give people the opportunity to be
heard while burdening the budget additionally as little as
possible, he noted.

The President expressed certainty that if the Bulgarian citizens
give an affirmative answer to the referendum's questions, the
parliamentary represented forces will find a way to regulate the
process in such a way as to guarantee the vote's independence
and secrecy.