site.btaUPDATED Safeguarding Elections Goes through Changes to Election Code - Hopefully Such Will Be Introduced by End of January, CC Chair Vassilev Says

Safeguarding elections goes through changes to the Election Code and machines, which certainly must and hopefully will be introduced by the end of the month, Continue the Change Chair and Continue the Change – Democratic Bulgaria MP Assen Vassilev said in an interview on the Dneven Red podcast of journalists Miroluba Benatova and Genka Shikerova, which was published on YouTube on Friday.

He noted that there must be observers in every polling station, adding that many people are currently signing up on the Ti Broish (You Count) platform. Vassilev recalled that amendments to the Election Code concerning machine voting have been submitted, and added that whether 100% machine voting will be achieved depends on whether the parties will listen to the Bulgarian people and voters, or follow the instructions of MRF – New Beginning Floor Leader Delyan Peevski and GERB-UDF Floor Leader Boyko Borissov.

The upcoming elections must decide the direction Bulgaria will take, the MP believes. According to him, this cannot be imposed by politicians, but is a decision of Bulgarian citizens. “If we want a prosperous, fair, European Bulgaria, this cannot happen with the participation of GERB and MRF – New Beginning,” Vassilev added. He noted that another group of parties do not want to work with GERB and MRF, but the direction they choose is towards BRICS.

“We are fighting for 121 MPs in the next parliament if we want reforms to happen – in the state administration and in healthcare,” said the Continue the Change Chair. He further pointed out that in the new political season it is high time for everyone to become equal before the law. According to him, the security details of Borissov and Peevski should be removed.

“Boyko Borissov made the decision to bring down the cabinet under pressure, and that is called capitulation,” Vassilev also said. “Neither Borissov nor Delyan Peevski are important in this story,” he added. According to him, Peevski’s guarantees of a full government term are worth nothing without the support of Bulgarian citizens.

Assen Vassilev said in response to a question that at this point the party has no candidate for the presidential election. “We have agreed on a process under which anyone who wants to become a candidate whom we would support must go through primaries and be a joint candidate,” Vassilev explained.

In connection with the introduction of the euro in Bulgaria, Vassilev commented that they have received reports indicating that the distribution of business starter packs with small-denomination banknotes and coins has not been sufficiently effective. “Many people continue to receive change in leva rather than in euro,” he explained. According to Vassilev, once the first pensions and salaries are paid in euro, enough of the single European currency will enter circulation and there will no longer be such problems.

Asked to comment on the remarks of former finance minister Vladislav Goranov, who said that Bulgaria had entered the eurozone using inaccurate data on the level of inflation, Vassilev replied that the deficit for 2025 was calculated on the basis of a forecast included in the budget, while the actual inflation rate will become clear in early April, when Eurostat finalizes and certifies all data from the Ministry of Finance.

Vassilev also commented that when the average wage is increased, the maximum social security income should also be raised, but it should not be increased ahead of wage growth. Otherwise, more is taken from people, the MP said.

Vassilev also commented on the draft budget for 2026. He pointed out that nearly BGN 20 billion in debt had been planned for this year. The MP explained that BGN 17.5 billion was borrowed in 2025, while by comparison, a total of BGN 16 billion in debt was accumulated in 2022, 2023 and 2024 combined.

From 2022 to 2024, for every lev of debt borrowed, Bulgaria produced BGN 4 in gross domestic product, he further noted. Vassilev added that in 2025, for every lev of debt, Bulgaria produced BGN 0.90 in gross domestic product.

Asked whether he expects tensions in the regions due to the absence of a budget for 2026 and the implementation of projects under programmes in certain regions, Vassilev said that the so-called budget extension act provides BGN 700 million for payments under municipal programmes. If there are new, additional or extraordinary initiatives, they would more likely be postponed, he added.