site.btaTISP Demand 100% Machine Voting with Scanning Devices, Deputy Floor Leader Balabanov Says

There Is Such a People (TISP) Deputy Floor Leader Stanislav Balabanov said at a briefing to the media, on Tuesday, that TISP want 100% machine voting, “but not with these machines”. Instead, there should be “scanning devices, integrated into the polling stations where Bulgarian voters can cast their votes,” Balabanov added.

According to him, there is a clear need for change in the Election Code.

“We expect to receive support from everyone who wants machine voting,” he said.

“We start our participation in parliament with the idea of purging the electoral rolls of ghost voters,” Balabanov added. Parliament’s Christmas and New Year recess ended on January 10, and the next regular plenary session is scheduled for January 14.

Asked whether TISP was ready to receive the third government-forming mandate from President Rumen Radev, Balabanov replied that the party had received the third mandate enough times, but more importantly, the public wanted elections. When asked whether they would return the mandate if they did receive it, he replied that this would most likely happen.

After the government's resignation, the Constitution foresees that the President of the Republic hands out cabinet-forming mandates to the prime ministers-designate of the first two parliamentary groups, starting with the largest. If the first two attempts fail, a third mandate goes to a parliamentary group selected by the President. Should all three mandates be unsuccessful, the head of State must appoint a caretaker cabinet and schedule early parliamentary elections within two months. The National Assembly continues to function until a new legislature is elected and sworn in.