site.btaSocialists "Have Long Suspected" that Elections Can Be Manipulated through Voting Machines

The Socialists believe that the October 29 local elections can be manipulated through the voting machines. “The State Agency for National Security’s report confirms our suspicions that the vote can be manipulated through the machines – a suspicion which we have had for over a year and have been vocal about,” BSP for Bulgaria  Floor Leader Korneliya Ninova told journalists in Parliament on Friday. She commented on the topic after a meeting of the Legislature's presiding body was convened to discuss machine voting.

The controversy flared up earlier in the day when There Is Such a People said that a Deputy Electronic Governance Minister affiliated with Continue the Change - Democratic Bulgaria, "has downloaded" the voting machine codes, effectively compromising machine voting. Vazrazhdane immediately called for Yolov's resignation, and the Movement for Rights and Freedoms said that the elections should be held without voting machines or else the results must be annulled across the country. GERB too expressed concern over the situation. Electronic Governance Minister Alexander Yolovski held a news briefing as the situation started to escalate, to say that the security of voting in the October 29 elections is guaranteed.

Ninova told the media that the BSP had long suspected the party’s results in the last elections had been altered through manipulation of the voting machines. “What we found out raises the question of whether the elections are fair and transparent, which we insist on,” she noted.

“We expect the Central Electoral Commission to decide on what should be done from now on, but we deem possible election postponement, rescheduling, etc. unacceptable,” Ninova said. She stressed that the election should be held in the most honest and transparent way, adding that “suspicions remain”.

“We were left with the impression that it is possible that what you voted for and what the paper copy of the ballot which the voting machines issues says, may not be the same,” Ninova said.

She explained that the matter was discussed at the meeting of Parliament’s presiding body and the Central Election Commission was assigned to come up with a solution. “We respect the institutions in Bulgaria and believe that there are professionals working there. They should say what the best thing to do is so that not a single vote is manipulated,” the Floor Leader of BSP for Bulgaria said.