site.btaNo Proposals Made to Open Voting Sections at Honorary Consulates in UK, US, Turkiye

Rositsa Mateva, Deputy Chair and Spokesperson of the Central Election Commission (CEC), said on Friday that heads of diplomatic or consular missions have not submitted proposals to open voting sections at honorary consulates in the UK, US and Turkiye for Bulgaria's April 19 parliamentary elections.

The CEC and the Elections working group at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs held working meetings to discuss the possible opening of voting sections at honorary consulates in the UK, US and Turkiye, similar to the practice at honorary consulates in Germany. The Foreign Ministry submitted a proposal for the two honorary consulates in Belfast and Liverpool, Mateva said. On Thursday, the honorary consulates in those three countries did not submit proposals and no explanation was provided, she said.

The CEC decided to send a letter to the Elections working group asking why no proposals had been made for voting sections at honorary consulates in the three countries, stating that "a response is expected immediately".

On February 5, the National Assembly amended the Election Code limiting to 20 the number of voting sections in any country which is not an EU Member State, not counting the voting sections at Bulgarian embassies and consulates.

On March 26, Mateva said the CEC is yet to determine the locations and number of voting sections to be opened. The Commission expects a letter from the Foreign Ministry, together with reasoned proposals from each diplomatic and consular mission for the respective country specifying where voting sections should be established, she said.