Stefan Manov, deputy chairman of the Public Council at the CEC, predicts another drop in voter turnout in the parliamentary elections when voting outside the country.
“Bulgarian citizens abroad are no different from Bulgarian citizens in the country regarding their interest in the elections. We see that there is a declining interest. If we look at one parameter, which is still quite imprecise, the number of submitted applications to vote outside the country, this time, 20% less than the previous elections, which were already 20% less than the previous ones, were submitted. So I expect a drop in voter turnout. I like to say at this point that the Bulgarian political forces do too a little to increase interest”, commented Stefan Manov.
“In the electoral districts in the country, people know – they vote with the ballot, which has the names of the parties and the names of the candidates. Each party has its own list in each district. There is no such list outside the country. That is, the voters do not actually elect people’s representatives to represent them. This is a moment of motivation that is missing,” Manov also noted.