site.btaDeputy PM Donchev: Election Technology Should Not Replace Political Debate, Clash of Ideas

Election technology should not replace political debate and the clash of ideas, said Tomislav Donchev, outgoing Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Innovation and Growth, during Friday's Question Time in Parliament. He was replying to a question from the Continue the Change - Democratic Bulgaria parliamentary group related to the outgoing government's readiness to purchase new election devices for the upcoming snap elections in Bulgaria.

The question was directed at outgoing Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov, who was absent due to official duties.

Donchev recalled that the role of the Council of Ministers is to provide logistical support for the elections, with the Central Election Commission playing a leading role, and that both institutions are required to comply with the law.

When asked if there was a budget set aside, Donchev pointed out that the State had no budget. "There are spending ceilings from the previous year and no investment costs set aside," he clarified. He commented that the practice in previous elections had been to change the electoral process at the last possible moment.