site.btaCommission Opens Party Registration for April 19 Snap Elections

From Tuesday, February 24, the Central Election Commission (CEC) is beginning to accept documents for the registration of parties and coalitions wishing to take part in the Bulgarian early parliamentary elections on April 19, the commission said on its website.

The deadline for submitting applications is 5pm on March 4. Applications must be accompanied by a list containing the names, personal identification numbers and handwritten signatures of no fewer than 2,500 voters supporting the registration. The signature lists are to be verified by the General Directorate for Civil Registration and Administrative Services (GRAO) at the Ministry of Regional Development and Public Works by March 7.

Parties and coalitions are required to pay a non-interest-bearing deposit of EUR 1,278.23 in order to participate in the elections.

On February 19, the CEC adopted a timetable for the snap parliamentary elections, the commission said. Under the timetable, by March 4 the CEC must determine the conditions and procedures for conducting the election campaign, which will begin at 00:00 hrs on March 20.