Kamelia Neykova: We are waiting for information from the EC about Tsitselkov. Hopefully this time people who have commit

We must comply with the legal text and together with colleagues from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, we will create an organization that will not make it difficult for voters to vote and for section election commissions to be able to do their job qualitatively, said CEC Chairman Kamelia Neykova on NOVA, after the parliament rejected the president's veto and re-adopted on second reading the disputed changes to the Electoral Code (EC) to limit sections outside the European Union.

Voters may face difficulties, to the extent that the places where they can exercise their right to vote will be limited, noted the CEC Chairman. We will try to create such an organization and rely on the heads of diplomatic and consular missions to have the opportunity to have larger polling stations, she said.

Regarding the budget for the early parliamentary elections in April 2026, the CEC chairman commented that more money in no way means more professionalism. Perhaps there is greater motivation to have candidates for members of the sectional election commissions, Neykova pointed out. According to her, there are many cases when the positions of members are taken only because of the remuneration. She expressed hope that the people who will participate in the commissions will be willing.

Replacements of members of the election commissions are made only in cases provided for by law, Neykova also emphasized. In the previous elections, there were electoral districts where mass replacements were made in the last week at the initiative of the parliamentary parties, which have the right to propose such. I really hope that this time they will not do it and that they will not propose members who have been found to have committed violations and crimes, said Kamelia Neykova.

When asked if Bulgaria needs a deputy prime minister for fair elections, the CEC chairperson indicated that it needs a minister who will be responsible for the elections, as provided for by the Electoral Code. I do not know what the motives were for having such a position, she added.

When asked if Stoil Tsitelkov has a place to observe the elections, Kamelia Neykova said “I do not think that Mr. Tsitelkov has no place, because he is still a member of the public council of the CEC in relation to the organization he represents“. We are expecting information from the European Commission through the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Neykova pointed out. According to her, the goal is to check how accurate the information related to Tsitelkov is. The CEC cannot make a decision instead of the organizations themselves, explained the chairperson of the commission. According to Neykova, attention should be focused on the organization of the elections.