site.btaUPDATED President Says "Voting on Massive Scale Is Most Important"

President Rumen Radev exercised his right to vote in Sofia on Sunday, saying that he is voting for the capital's modern and European development, "how all Bulgarians wish and have the right to see Sofia". He noted that "voting on a massive scale is the most important thing". 

Radev told journalists that he had familiarized himself with the SANS report, but it is up to the competent institutions to decide whether it is of valid concern. 

According to him, there is an urgent need to restore confidence in the election process. "I expect the competent authorities to carry out their investigation as soon as possible and to disclose who the players are and the motives for this act," Radev said. "The SANS are directly subordinate to the Council of Ministers and the prime minister personally. Do not expect me to break any hierarchy," Radev said on whether he would publish the report.

This case raises questions about the government's recruitment policy. Both the deputy minister of electronic governance and the deputy chairman of SANS, who are directly involved in this, to say the least, scandal, are government appointees, Radev said. Asked by journalists whether they should resign, Radev said these questions should be asked to the government.

He said he respected the decision of the CEC as an independent body, but the court will decide whether it is correct and lawful.

In his words, every parliament is committed to changing the Election Code.

Radev noted that he vetoed the last change in the Election Code, which rendered machine voting meaningless because it turned machines into printing devices. He said that that a solid majority overrode his veto. 

"Each institution must exercise its powers responsibly and fully and not pass the buck to others to do its job and shoulder its responsibility. This is the stake for our development as a normal European state," Radev said.