A very low voter turnout was reported in several Roma neighborhoods in Plovdiv, Yambol and Sofia in the first round of the presidential elections. In some of the polling stations only a few dozen people voted, and in the "Iztochen" district in Plovdiv the turnout was approximately two times lower than in the parliamentary elections in April.
In "Stolipinovo" people are citing various reasons for not going to the polls. Angel Iliev from Plovdiv says:
No voting. We are tired of these people. When they come – we will do this work, we will increase salaries, pensions, and they are making a mess of themselves, and we are going down.
In the “East“ district, just over 6,000 people voted. For comparison, in the April elections, there were approximately twice as many voters. In one of the sections, where 740 people were registered to vote, only 25 cast their ballots.
Lack of information among some residents
Another reason cited by residents of the neighborhood is the lack of information about the voting itself.
They need to call and let us know how to vote. Nobody knew and that's why they didn't vote.
When asked who they should call, a man from the area answers:
The people with the cars. Before, as it was - they would drive by in their cars and say to vote. Nobody knew about this vote.
20 votes out of 1099 voters in Yambol
In Yambol, the residents of the Roma neighborhood vote in two schools - “ Yordan Yovkov“ and “ Petar Beron“. The lowest turnout was in the 41st precinct, where 20 out of 1,099 voters voted.
A woman from the neighborhood says that people do not receive money and are not insured.
We are not satisfied with any president.Another resident says that she does not want to vote and refuses to give an interview.
A low voter turnout was also reported in the capital's neighborhood of “Filipovtsi“, where residents vote in three precincts. 23 people voted in one of them. In the parliamentary elections in April, 170 ballots were cast there.
Sources: btvnovinite.bg