The process of certifying the conformity of the machines for the elections on October 27 begins. Ten device serial numbers were drawn by lottery. After the procedure, the caretaker prime minister called on private companies not to blow up the election process. The reason - the company importing the machines asked for BGN 1 million more. The private warehouse, where the nearly 13,000 state machines are kept, has also asked for more money.
This was revealed by BNT.
With BGN 1 million more than the originally planned 9 million, the Central Election Commission will provide for the installation and maintenance of the machines. This was agreed upon by the commission and the only candidate - the company-importer of the devices "Siela Norma", learned "Around the world and in our country".
Yesterday on the air of BNT, the company warned that if they do not receive the amount they requested, there may be no machine voting. Today it also became clear that the owner of the private warehouse where the devices are kept wants a higher rent. Acting Prime Minister Dimitar Glavchev spoke of pressure and expressed hope that there would be no obstacles to machine voting.
"I hope it doesn't come to that, although there is pressure not only in this direction, to call it, to increase prices, there is also pressure at the warehouse that stores the machines. I hope it doesn't come to that as it would be a very big scandal. The traders are Bulgarian citizens who are responsible and know that they will blow up the process, I don't believe they will take such a risk", stressed Dimitar Glavchev, Acting Prime Minister.
Glavchev pointed out that the state has no way to take a stand.
"These are commercial relations between the CEC and the respective counterparties. I don't think that both merchants were harmed in any way, neither "Siela" nor the private warehouse," Glavchev emphasized.
"Since they are in the negotiation stage - to determine whether or in some way these funds can be reduced so that they are possible for the state. As you all know, due to the constant repetition of the elections, the amounts are not ok to be uploaded", says Valentin Mundrov, Minister of e-Government.
From "Siela Norma" they also warn that the paper for the machines is not suitable and that it leads to problems with the printers. In the last elections, blank, short or incomplete ballots were printed en masse.
"Whether the paper complies or not is within the prerogatives of the CEC, which submitted the requirements to the printing house of the BNB, as submitted by the contractor," Minister Mundrov explained.
Ten machine numbers were randomly drawn today, starting the authentication process. It will end with the trusted build of the software, and all stages will be public. A camera with sound is already installed in the hall where this will take place. The Ministry of e-Government hopes that this will put an end to all doubts about the machines.