site.btaUPDATED Preparations for Upcoming October 27 Elections Proceeding Normally, 24 Parties and Nine Coalitions Registered

Preparations for the elections on October 27 are proceeding normally and according to the deadlines in the schedule and the Electoral Code, Rositsa Mateva, Deputy Chair and spokesperson of the Central Election Commission (CEC), told a briefing on Tuesday.

"A total of 24 parties and nine coalitions registered to participate in the elections," she noted.

Mateva added that CEC Saturday decided to cancel the registration of Ima Smisal [It Matters] for participation in the October 27 snap parliamentary elections. A check by the General Directorate of Civil Registration and Administrative Services at the Ministry of Regional Development and Public Works found that the total number of correct entries in the list of voters supporting the coalition's registration was less than 2,500. The registration requirements of the Election Code are thus not met, according to the CEC decision.

Mateva also indicated that from September 19, all citizens will be able to check on the CEC website whether their names appear in a party or coalition petition. If an irregularity is found, complaints can be submitted to the Commission for Personal Data Protection, the CEC spokesperson pointed out.

As at 1 pm on Tuesday, 5,070 applications for voting abroad had been submitted. The deadline is midnight (Bulgarian time) on October 1. So far 11 complaints have been filed against CEC decisions.

On Wednesday, CEC will draw lots to determine the numbers with which parties and coalitions will take part in the new local elections and the by-elections. The numbers will start from 41 so as not to coincide with the numbers of the parties and coalitions registered for the parliamentary elections because if there is a second round of the local elections, it will be held on October 27 as well.

"We have been assured by the printing house of the Bulgarian National Bank that the paper supplied by them meets the requirements," Mateva said, replying to a question about the paper supplied for the voting machines.