The Ombudsman Velislava Delcheva sent a letter to Prime Minister Andrey Gyurov and to the Chairperson of the Central Election Commission Kamelia Neykova in connection with the preparation and holding of the early parliamentary elections on April 19, BNT reported.
In it, the Ombudsman raises the issue of guaranteeing real and equal access to the electoral process for citizens in vulnerable situations, in particular people with disabilities, emphasizing that at present all necessary conditions for the full exercise of electoral rights in accordance with international standards for universal, equal and secret voting have not been created.
"Every citizen must be provided with the opportunity to cast their vote on election day and exercise their constitutional right. Moreover, according to the Electoral Code, voting is mandatory and constitutes the fulfillment of the voter's civic duty, Delcheva is categorical.
Among the problems raised are the lack of sign language translation for people with hearing impairments in case of difficulties with the machine voting devices; the absence of a light signal when printing the control receipt, which creates a risk of their vote not being counted; the lack of official information in Braille and appropriate audio formats in the polling stations, as well as the incomplete guarantee of the secrecy of the vote for blind citizens due to the lack of adapted software for the voting machines.
In this regard, the Ombudsman proposes that the CEC develop a standard for "accessible polling station" and to take specific actions, including providing in the Methodological Instructions requirements for the preparation of polling stations and buildings with the installation of an audio player and a Braille template with a list of candidates and parties in the designated sections for voters with visual impairments or mobility difficulties.
It also recommends providing online access to a sign language interpreter on election day if necessary, creating an organization to inform people with hearing impairments and low vision about the light and sound signal upon successful voting, as well as introducing a free telephone line with information about the voting process.
Last but not least, the Ombudsman draws attention to the need for mechanisms for the exercise of electoral rights by citizens placed under mandatory quarantine or isolation.
In her recommendation, Velislava Delcheva also recalls the opinions of the UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities of September 21, 2018, according to which Bulgaria should ensure accessibility of polling stations and information related to with the electoral process, including by providing materials in clear formats, including Easy Read, as well as by providing the necessary financial and technical resources to improve physical accessibility.