site.btaCC-DB Wants Machine Voting Restored

At the beginning of next week, we will submit amendments to the Election Code that include restoring machine voting with sufficient control counting so that there are no speculations or explanations that someone somewhere is tampering with something, said Bozhidar Bozhanov, Deputy Floor Leader of Continue the Change – Democratic Bulgaria (CC-DB), speaking on Bulgarian National Radio on Sunday.

Election rules are re-emerging as a topical issue due to the possibility for Bulgaria to hold snap elections if the parliamentary forces fail to form a new regular government following the resignation of Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov's government.

According to Bozhanov, machine voting should be restored because it guarantees the elimination of most of the flaws in the electoral process that were seen after the most recent elections, such as adding marks and crossing out ballots. Bozhanov recalled that the Constitutional Court found that ballots had been filled in on behalf of polling station commissions. He believes that all these problems can be removed precisely through machine voting.

Bozhanov explained that at consultations with President Rumen Radev on Monday, CC-DB will say that there is no way a government can be formed in this parliament and that they will not attempt to realize a mandate, adding that they have no problem with elections being held at any time. According to Bozhanov, however, it may be best for early elections not to be held right in the harshest part of winter. The primary requirement for these elections, he said, is that they be fair, as inclusive as possible, and that Bulgarian citizens not be restricted from participating.

In this sense, even for practical reasons, he said it is better for elections to be held when there are no snowdrifts, it is not dark, and roads are not icy. Perhaps it would be good for them to take place in March, he commented. This is the only issue that will most likely be discussed with the President. Everything else is clear, the MP added.

Regarding relations with GERB and whether they would form a coalition with the party if they failed to secure a majority of 121 MPs, Bozhanov said they would not work with GERB.

Bozhanov said that GERB leader Boyko Borissov had had many chances to escape the "hostage crisis" he is in but had taken advantage of none of them and had chosen instead "to stay glued to Peevski". There is no way he can be given another opportunity, Bozhanov commented. He added that he does not expect CC-DB to be invited by GERB to form a new government in this parliament.

President Rumen Radev will begin consultations with the parliamentary groups in the National Assembly on Monday, December 15, as part of the process of forming a new regular government after Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov announced on December 11 that his government was resigning and the National Assembly accepted the resignation unanimously on December 12. The government’s resignation came as the National Assembly was about to vote on a no-confidence motion against the government submitted by CC-DB. In the wider picture, the country was swept by massive anti-government protests that were triggered by the cabinet's controversial budget plans but escalated into discontent against the government over corruption, injustice and failure in many government sectors.

The Constitution says that after a government resignation, the President of the Republic must begin consultations with the parliamentary groups and hand out cabinet forming mandates to their prime ministers-designate, starting with the largest group. If the first two attempts fail, a third mandate goes to a parliamentary group of the President’s choosing. Should all three mandates be unsuccessful, the President is obliged to appoint a caretaker cabinet and schedule early parliamentary elections within two months.