site.btaCaretaker Cabinet Cites International Observers on Election Integrity Measures

The Bulgarian caretaker Government said that adequate measures were taken to safeguard the integrity of the snap parliamentary elections on April 19 of this year, citing in a Facebook post here on Wednesday a report by the international election observation mission. According to the analysis, the Bulgarian authorities have carried out active efforts against vote buying and voter intimidation, while voter turnout increased despite political instability.

The report highlighted measures introduced by the caretaker Cabinet, including countering foreign influence, combating disinformation, and strengthening cybersecurity protections. It also noted the key role of the inter-institutional coordination mechanism, with the Interior Ministry leading efforts against disinformation and threats, the Foreign Ministry focusing on foreign interference, and the e-Government Ministry coordinating critical infrastructure protection. 

Preliminary Interior Ministry data cited in the report indicate over 2,000 election-related signals, more than 500 pre-trial proceedings, 360 arrests, and over 5,000 warning protocols issued. However, observers raised concerns regarding the perceived independence of the prosecution service in investigating electoral violations. 

The day after the elections, international observers from the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) and from the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) held a press conference in Sofia to present their preliminary findings.