Sofia police arrest two for suspected vote buying

Bulgarian police have arrested two men, aged 35 and 52, during a specialized operation in the Hristo Botev neighborhood of Sofia. The operation, conducted by the Sofia Directorate of Internal Affairs in collaboration with the Gendarmerie, aimed to protect political rights ahead of the upcoming presidential runoff.

During a search of one address, authorities discovered lists containing names of individuals alongside specific monetary amounts, as well as brochures supporting a particular presidential candidate pair. Police officials stated that the lists were marked for Sunday, the day of the runoff election, suggesting the intervention occurred before any actual vote trading took place.

Chief Commissioner Nikolay Peltekov of the Sofia Directorate of Internal Affairs reported that the operation has involved checking 16 addresses and 38 individuals. Both detainees have prior criminal records, including robbery and driving offenses. An investigation is currently underway.