site.btaPolling Stations Open Across Europe Without Reported Problems

Polling stations have opened across Europe, and no problems at section election commissions have been reported so far, said Radi Naydenov, Permanent Secretary of the Foreign Ministry and Chair of its Elections Working Group, at a briefing Sunday presenting the latest information on the Bulgarian presidential election being held abroad.

Voting abroad began on Saturday night, Bulgarian time, with the opening of polling stations in New Zealand, where one station has already completed its work. According to Naydenov, just under 100 people voted in New Zealand. The last polling stations to close will be those on the west coast of North America, early on Monday morning, Bulgarian time.

"Vote! Every vote matters," Naydenov urged. He thanked the Central Election Commission (CEC), the ministries involved in preparing the election, Foreign Ministry staff and diplomatic and consular missions, as well as members of Bulgarian communities who had helped organize the vote abroad.

Boryana Stoynova, Director of the Information and Communication Systems Directorate and Deputy Chair of the Elections Working Group, urged Bulgarians abroad to check the latest addresses of polling stations on the websites of the Foreign Ministry and diplomatic and consular missions.