Bulgarian election security and monitoring

In preparation for the upcoming presidential and vice-presidential elections, the Bulgarian Ministry of Interior established 24-hour hotlines and email channels to monitor potential crimes against political rights and ensure public order. These reporting methods were made available through October 26, 2026, with provisions to extend through November 2, 2026, if a runoff is required. Regional departments, including those in Rousse and Haskovo, also activated local contact methods to assist citizens. Following these measures, police in Varna and the surrounding region conducted a specialized operation targeting domestic crime and election law violations. The operation led to 42 detentions and the registration of 13 crimes. Further specialized operations were launched in the Sofia and Ruse regions to prevent crimes against political rights and maintain public order. In the Sofia region, authorities inspected 443 vehicles, 554 individuals, 22 commercial sites, and several financial establishments, resulting in 12 detentions within the first four hours of the operation. In the Ruse region, police, gendarmerie, and economic crime units established checkpoints to monitor vehicles and individuals, specifically targeting violations of electoral legislation and domestic crime. Authorities stated these intensified security measures will continue throughout the election process. As the October 25 election approached, security deployments expanded to Pernik and Plovdiv. In Pernik, the Ministry of Interior, GDBOP, Border Police, and fire departments prepared to protect electoral spaces, following inspections of 156 sites and 252 polling stations. In Plovdiv, nearly 1,000 personnel were deployed to provide physical security for 1,016 polling stations across 398 locations. These efforts include constant surveillance of electronic voting machines and the escorted transport of over 1,000 machines. On the day of the October 25 elections, law enforcement agencies across multiple regions, including Sofia, Ruse, Shumen, Pernik, Stara Zagora, and Dobrich, deployed significant personnel to manage public order.