Rositsa Mateva, Deputy Chair and spokesperson for the Central Election Commission (CEC), stated during an interview on Bulgarian National Television that there were no reports of vote rigging during the April 19 parliamentary election. Addressing hypothetical claims of result manipulation, such as those raised by civil movement leader Nikolay Popov, Mateva expressed hope that no formal appeals would be filed, citing positive assessments from international observers and the caretaker government. Regarding a specific incident in Montana where a section election commission (SEC) member reportedly cast ten ballots, Mateva questioned the inaction of the other SEC members present.
She argued that such an action required immediate intervention from the remaining commission members and observers. The CEC spokesperson noted that this was an isolated case among nearly 13,000 voting sections, asserting that no other similar issues were reported on election day. On procedural matters, Mateva clarified that replacements for SEC members were based on personal refusals.
Concerning the CEC’s relationship with interim administrations, she stated that the commission consistently manages its work with caretaker cabinets, noting improvements in cooperation over time. Overall, Mateva maintained that the elections were conducted fairly and normally, citing smooth communication with the Public Council. She added that thirteen MPs elected across two constituencies are expected to select one representative on Friday.
Mateva concluded by reflecting on the CEC’s tenure, noting that the commission oversaw numerous electoral cycles, including 12 national and 107 by-elections over the past five years.
Topics: #election #commission #deputy
