site.btaReformist Bloc Sees Discrepancy between Election Code Provisions, Constitution

Reformist Bloc Sees Discrepancy between Election Code Provisions, Constitution

Sofia, October 14 (BTA) - The Reformist Bloc (RB) on Thursday tabled changes to the Election Code which will see the option of "none of the above" marked on the ballot paper counted in the total number of votes for presidential candidates. Under Central Elections Commission (CEC) rules, none of the above choices will be counted for determining voter turnout but will be excluded from the results for presidential candidates.

RB's Peter Slavov told journalists on Friday that the Bloc was offering a solution to the problem, because Parliament had a constitutional crisis in the making.

Slavov said that in recent days CEC members said they were planning to apply a methodology which runs counter to the Constitution. According to the Reformist Bloc, it is not late for changes.

Slavov warned that otherwise Bulgaria may find itself facing a constitutional crisis and the Bulgarian Socialist Party may challenge the election results since the methodology treats the none of the above ballots as invalid and thus secures a default victory for some candidates, said Slavov.

Dimiter Delchev said that CEC is the body which should assess if there is a discrepancy between the Election Code and the Constitution and make the right decision to avoid a default victory for GERB's presidential candidate in the first round of presidential elections.

He recalled that parliamentary legal affairs committee chair Daniel Kirilov and the Patriotic Front had insisted on the one of the above ballot option. He said the Bloc rejected the blame for any confusion as to whether there is a contradiction between a legal provision and constitutional norms.

Delchev recalled that the RB's only proposal with regard to this option was that none of the above votes should not be counted for setting the 4 per cent barrier to Parliament.
Also, the Bloc has suggested lifting the restrictions on the number of voting sections abroad.

Meanwhile, Daniel Kirilov told journalists in Parliament that none of the above choices won't change the election results. Both left and right parties raised objections that none of the above ballot option seeks to ensure a higher voter turnout and ignores the real vote.

Kirilov said that the election winner will still have to receive 50 + 1 of the votes. He specified that none of the above choice will be considered valid but won't count towards the results of the candidates. They will be entered in the tally sheets and will be announced to voters and pollsters but won't affect the final results.

Kirilov said that GERB had insisted that none of the above choice should be included in all calculations determining the election results. He recalled that MPs from smaller parliamentary groups reacted strongly, arguing that this would increase the barrier to Parliament. "We respected the demands of fellow MPs and partners," said Kirilov.