site.btaGovernment to Allocate Close to Mln 26 Lv for Early Elections

Sofia, August 11 (BTA) - Cabinet has adopted a planned budget of the cost for preparing and conducting the early parliamentary elections in October, the Government's press service said on Monday.

The planned budget is for 25,974,000 leva, which will be provided by restructuring the central government budget's expenditure. The Central Election Commission (CEC) and the Council of Ministers will be provided with 4,430,000 and 15,605,000 leva, respectively, for the elections' organizational and technical preparation.

The break down of funds for CEC is as follows: 200,000 leva remuneration for its members; 180,000 for CEC's logistics; 2.7 million leva for processing election data and results; 900,000 leva for media packages for parties, coalitions and nomination committees; 450,000 leva for the awareness campaign.

The break down of funds for the Council of Ministers is as follows: 9,645,000 remuneration for members of regional and district election commissions; 4,000,000 leva for ensuring the election process' logistics by central and local administrations; 1,600,000 leva for printing of ballots; 360,000 leva for machine voting.

The Directorate General of Civil Registration and Administrative Services (GRAO) will get 882,000 leva for preparing and printing voter registers. A total of 3,000,000 leva are planned for the Interior Ministry for providing security. A total of 1,500,000 leva are set aside for the Foreign Ministry, including for organizing an international press centre. The Defence Ministry will get 60,000 and the Education Ministry - 15,000 leva.

The expenses of the Bulgarian National Television, Bulgarian National Radio and Bulgarian News Agency are also included in the planned budget and amount to 502,000, 200,000 and 50,000 leva, respectively. A total of 30,000 leva are planned for the Bulgarian National Audit Office.

The Government assigned Prime Minister Georgi Bliznashki to coordinate and execute the parliamentary elections' organizational and technical preparation. Among Bliznashki's responsibilities are to coordinate with CEC the conditions and order in which election supplies and papers are manufactured, delivered and stored, the storage of machine voting technical equipment, as well as the preparation and publishing of voter registers. The decision, adopted by the Government, includes for Bliznashki to be assisted in his work by an expert interdepartmental working group, whose members and tasks will be determined by the Prime Minister. The Foreign Minister will be responsible for preparing and holding the elections abroad.

In addition to tabling the draft planned budget of the cost for preparing and holding the elections, the Finance Minister is also tasked with presenting a draft fee, which parties, coalitions and nomination committees will have to pay for election campaign broadcasts on national TV and radio and their regional centres.

CEC said on its website that it is starting to accept documents for the registration of parties and coalitions on Tuesday, August 12. Parties and coalitions can register to take part in the October early parliamentary elections no later than 6 pm on August 20, 2014. The deadline for submitting documents pertaining to changes in a coalition's composition is August 30, 2014.