The delegation of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe /PACE/ to observe the elections from our country reported on the professional organization and conduct of the vote, but also on the ingrained lack of trust among voters in the political leadership of the country, a BGNES reporter reported.
The head of the PACE delegation, Alfred Heer, presented the observers' conclusions on the conduct of the seventh consecutive parliamentary elections.
Heer pointed out that the elections did not lead to a breakthrough in the political deadlock. He noted the endless cycle of new snap elections in recent years and said political leaders from all parties and coalitions must accept the reality of the disunity of the Bulgarian people and deal with it. PACE recommends considering possible changes in the electoral system to facilitate the formation of stable regular governments.
"The country is going through a recurrent political crisis - not an institutional crisis, but one that leads to institutionalisation of the political crisis. There is no functioning democracy without active voter participation. While some recommendations of the Venice Commission have not yet been implemented, the Electoral Code and related legislation provide a generally adequate framework for the conduct of fair elections. The frequent use of short-term and caretaker governments has de facto replaced the usual link between elections and the formation of stable governments. This dependence is itself an admission of failure to find lasting political solutions. Political leaders and legislators should consider introducing changes to the electoral system that could be more conducive to the formation of stable governments," PACE said.
The delegation expressed its concern about allegations of vote-buying and vote-rigging in the country, especially in areas with a predominantly minority population or one with low education.
"While the 'hotline' and other measures put in place by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) to report such violations are welcome, the significant increase in reports and significantly higher voter turnout in some sensitive areas demonstrate the urgent need to further address these issues. The inconclusive election campaign was conducted primarily on social media and to some extent through traditional means in rural areas. Increasingly, candidates are managing their own political communication, partly bypassing professional journalism, which raises concerns about the quality of information reaching voters," the delegation stated.
Alfred Heer said that the combined voting system was creating confusion among voters and polling station members alike.
"On Election Day, despite the benefits that can be derived from improvements in technology, the current combination of voting machines used as printers along with paper ballots has resulted in more bureaucratic and procedural steps, increasing the potential for errors at the polls. The onus is now on the political sippies in Bulgaria. They must overcome party divisions to break this cycle of deadlock. The Bulgarian people deserve leaders committed to ensuring a functioning democratic government," PACE said. | BGNES
