site.btaContinue the Change - Democratic Bulgaria Faces Fine over Billboards with Images of Opponents

Continue the Change - Democratic Bulgaria faces a fine for using the faces of its opponents on campaign billboards put up at many locations in Sofia and Plovdiv. Central Election Commission (CEC) spokesperson Rossitsa Mateva said Tuesday, a day after CEC found the billboards to be violating the rules of campaigning and good manners, that a fine is yet to be imposed in a penal decree.

The controversial billboards have a photo of a former Prime Minister Nikolay Denkov in the left half and of GERB leader Boyko Borissov and Delyan Peevski, one of the two leaders of the Movement for Rights and Freedoms in the right half, and the question "What would you want your Prime Minister to be like?" written on top.

CEC found that the billboard was essentially a call for non-support for Borissov and Peevski, which is prohibited by law.

CEC took up the case after a complaint by GERB.

Continue the Change - Democratic Bulgaria said Tuesday that they have contested the CEC decision. They argue that the message of the billboard could be interpreted to be in favour of any of the three candidates pictured.