Bulgaria Mulls Over Fines for Non-Voters

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Penalty of 200 levs will be imposed on every adult Bulgarian who fails to exercise his or her right to vote in an election, was announced a proposal on Friday (29 November). The penalty will be included in the current Electoral Code on the proposal by Strahil Angelov, an MP of Coalition for Bulgaria as a response to the low turnout in polls. The leftist MP vowed to draft the new text next week so that is may enter into force before the elections for the European Parliament in May next year.

I do not call it compulsory voting because it is not – you can pay the fine and still not vote explained Angelov and said that the money from the fines will go to the budget of the municipality in which the voter is registered. In his words, the measure will have only positive effects because it will clear the voter lists of the so-called dead souls and end the vicious practice of vote-buying. We will also maintain a consistently high voter turnout and will keep outside Parliament the smaller political formations that go to elections with the sole purpose pass the 1% threshold required to receive state support. This will end the political partisanship will shape out several monolithic political entities and this will give a chance to Bulgaria one day to conduct a genuine coherent policy and to draw a true national doctrine, that will be followed, Strahil Angelov defended his proposal.

The only problem with this idea is that its implementation requires changes to the Constitution because it violates the fundamental rights and freedoms of Bulgarian citizens, commented lawyers in parliament. The opposition categorically stated that it would not allow the fine to be recorded in the code because it was non-democratic and reinstated long forgotten practices from darker times of the country’s history. Those who do not like any of the political parties can put a blank ballot. This is how they will exercise their right to vote and will not be penalized, retorted in response to the author of draft bill. Mr. Angelov sees no reason why his idea may be rejected because similar texts were already included in the new draft Electoral Code. If lawmakers approve the planned introduction of compulsory voting, voters who do not go to the polls will be penalized.

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След скандалите с кметовете на ПП очаквате ли още по-малка активност на следващите избори?

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