Bulgaria Ministry of Interior reports increased election fraud signals

Bulgaria presidential elections Ivan Demerdzhiev vote buying Ministry of Interior election integrity

Bulgarian Interior Minister Ivan Demerdzhiev has reported an increase in signals regarding attempts to improperly secure votes ahead of the second round of the presidential elections. The Ministry of Interior (MVR) is investigating these reports, which include efforts to generate votes in support of specific candidate pairs.

Demerdzhiev clarified that investigations into municipal mayors are being conducted based on suspicions of misuse of public funds rather than political affiliation. He noted that existing investigations have already yielded sufficient evidence for court-ordered measures, and the scope of these probes may expand.

In response to the election cycle, specialized police operations have been launched across various regions, including Gabrovo, Pleven, Kyustendil, and Ruse. These operations target conventional crime, drug offenses, and election law violations. In Pleven, authorities inspected 351 vehicles and 373 citizens, resulting in five pre-trial proceedings. In Kyustendil, twelve traders were warned against attempting to influence voters, and two pre-trial proceedings were initiated.

Despite the heightened activity and numerous signals, officials stated that the elections proceeded without evidence of massive vote-buying or significant manipulation.

Entities

Bulgaria · Burgas · Gabrovo · Ivan Demerdzhiev · Kyustendil · Lyubomir Nikolov · Ministry of Interior · Pleven

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.

[● 2 SOURCES] Six pre-trial proceedings were initiated based on the signals received. burgasmedia.com
[○ 1 SOURCE] The most signals were received in Montana, Vratsa, and Burgas.
[○ 1 SOURCE] 192 specialized police operations were conducted.
[● 3 SOURCES] Machine voting did not cause any problems during the elections.
[● 2 SOURCES] 242 signals were received regarding election irregularities. burgasmedia.com
[● 3 SOURCES] Elections proceeded without significant vote-buying or manipulation.
[● 3 SOURCES] The Ministry of Interior is investigating municipal mayors for potential misuse of public funds. www.pbnovini.com · dariknews.bg · www.vesti.bg
[● 4 SOURCES] Interior Minister Ivan Demerdzhiev reported an increase in signals for improper vote securing. www.pbnovini.com · www.iskra.bg · dariknews.bg · www.vesti.bg
[● 2 SOURCES] Police in Pleven conducted an operation involving 351 vehicle checks and 373 citizen checks. pleven.info · novini247.com
[○ 1 SOURCE] A police operation in Gabrovo resulted in six people being detained. www.gabrovonews.bg
[○ 1 SOURCE] Twelve traders in Kyustendil were warned regarding election influence. www.dennews.bg