site.btaNational Assembly Chair Kiselova: Sudden Election Code Changes Could Further Alienate Voters

Sudden changes to the Election Code could further alienate voters, National Assembly Chair Nataliya Kiselova said here on Monday. Kiselova made the statement at the opening of a discussion on upcoming amendments to the electoral legislation. The event, titled Electoral Rules on Retake: Possible Changes and Their Impact, was organized by the Institute for Public Environment Development.

Kiselova said that elections, regardless of when they take place, should be conducted in a manner that strengthens public trust in the electoral process, which in turn affects confidence in public institutions. The main issue is not the voting technology but the reluctance of Bulgarian citizens to participate in elections.

Kiselova outlined two possible interpretations of why the last elections unfolded as they did, as seen in live video broadcasts and media reports. One perspective is that the Election Code is not robust enough, allowing for potential result manipulation. The other is that the issue lies beyond the polling stations, she noted. Kiselova suggested that the problems stem from a combination of the competence of polling station commission members and the influence exerted by various actors on voters.

Kiselova identified the quality of polling station commission members, who represent different parties and coalitions, as the most pressing issue. She proposed introducing mandatory pre-election training to raise standards. Another key concern is the electoral rolls, as one-third of Bulgarian citizens with voting rights reside outside the country. This raises the question of whether voter lists should be compiled based on permanent or current addresses, she said.

Since many voters are living abroad, we need to consider creating a separate 'foreign constituency.' This discussion should be handled professionally, weighing all the pros and cons, Kiselova added.

She stressed that every Bulgarian citizen should have the chance to vote and trust the election results and added that political pluralism must be maintained, whether the participants are small or large parties, newcomers, or those with established political histories.

When asked by journalists whether the issues lie in the Election Code or its implementation, Kiselova said, "In my opinion, they are more in its implementation." She added that it might be beneficial to consider improving the quality of the people who are members of section election commissions, as there have been frequent last-minute changes and on the voting day itself. Kiselova noted that there should be fewer subjective factors affecting the electoral process.

The discussion is set to move to the National Assembly after the deadline for proposals between the first and second readings of the Election Code, to seek the best solutions and determine whether the issues lie within the Code or outside it, Kiselova said. She mentioned that discussions had taken place about forming a working group under the Committee on Constitutional and Legal Affairs in parliament, after the deadline for proposals between the first and second readings of the Election Code amendments. Kiselova expressed hope that such a working group under the main committee on the Election Code will be established.