site.btaSupreme Administrative Court Returns Sofia Mayor Election Case for New Consideration by Lower Court

The Supreme Administrative Court (SAC) annulled and returned for a new consideration to a different panel of the Sofia Administrative Court a decision regarding the election for mayor of Sofia Municipality, due to violations of the rules of court procedure, the court said. The decision is final.

In July 2024, the Sofia Administrative Court upheld the decision by the Municipal Election Committee of November 6, 2023 naming Vassil Terziev as Sofia Mayor.

Terziev was elected to the mayor's office at runoff elections on November 5, 2023. He was nominated by a local coalition of Continue the Change, Democratic Bulgaria and Save Sofia and won 175,044 valid votes representing 48.20% of the valid votes. Runner-up Vanya Grigorova won 170,258 votes and 46.89%. Grigorova challenged the vote count.

The Supreme Administrative Court accepted that the Sofia Administrative Court did not discuss in substance the established violations and their significance and impact in terms of guaranteeing the credibility and reliability of machine voting, including printed machine ballots. Also, the first instance court did not accept all the conclusions of the experts who prepared the appointed forensic expert examinations, and at the same time referred to them.

In November 2023, Vassil Terziev said that he has no concerns about the stated intention of his opponent in the local election runoff, Vanya Grigorova, to request a review of the election results in court.