MEP and Deputy Chairman of IMRO Angel Dzhambazki announced that they have sent a reasoned proposal to the Council of Ministers, the Prosecutor General, the Chairman of the SAC, the Chairman of the SCC, the National Assembly with a request to review the results of the Bulgarian parliamentary election in 35 polling stations on the territory of the Republic of Turkey. During a press conference, he commented that the proposal to cancel the elections in these polling stations was sent to the institutions, which can apply to the Constitutional Court. The violations described are mainly the use of a language other than Bulgarian and the completion of declarations in advance.
„People were brought in groups to vote for one party. They didn’t even know how to sign. Most of them were illiterate.“, said аn IMRO observer in the Turkish polling stations.
A participant in the elections in a polling station in Bursa added that he witnessed a violation of Art. 229 of the Electoral Code, which prohibits the removal of ballot papers from the stations. Electoral papers were exported en masse, said the IMRO observer in this polling station.
Hristo Ivanov, who was chairman of a polling station in Izmir on election day, revealed that the violations began even before the polling stations opened. We found completed lists in advance, he said, pointing out several violations. Bulgarian was hardly spoken in my polling stations. Turkish was spoken. Voters came in, and it became clear that the number 9 and the abbreviation “MRF” were written on their hands with a pen. A representative of the emigration movements came in behind the booths and agitated. He came in supposedly to help because they were old people. The declarations in question were filled in by representatives of the emigrant organizations. Voters came with filled in and signed declarations. And only before us – the members of the commission, should be filled. About 20% of the votes in my station are illegal – for people with incorrectly filled in declarations, concluded Ivanov.
Dzhambazki also spoke about election day. He has toured several sections. There was agitation on election day itself. He showed a photo of a sample bulletin with the number 9 marked on it – not with a pen, but engraved. Near the polling stations there was an abundance of MRF propaganda materials.
Angel Dzhambazki thanked the efforts of all participants sent to Turkey on election day, because thanks to them the result for the MRF from previous elections was not repeated. Because there the vote was organized by the Turkish state in favor of the MRF. This is interference in the internal affairs of Bulgaria, which is unacceptable. And precisely because of the representatives of IMRO in the polling stations there, this is not allowed to happen completely.
If we had not been there, Erdogan would have elected at least two more MRF representatives to the Bulgarian parliament, Dzhambazki said, warning that it would be extremely dangerous to change the Electoral Code to allow additional sections to be opened in Turkey.
„We want the election rules to be observed and we do not want Erdogan to elect Bulgarian MPs.“
Dzhambazki also commented on the result of IMRO – Bulgarian National Movement in the last parliamentary elections. He thanked all members and supporters of IMRO for their hard work during the election campaign and described the result of IMRO as not bad. The interest of Bulgarian citizens in this situation with an ongoing pandemic and subsequent economic crisis – requires stable and fruitful governance. We congratulate the political formations represented in the 45th parliament and call on them to nominate a cabinet. Our narrow party interest would be to have new elections quickly, but this is not in the public interest, Dzhambazki stressed.
It would be political selfishness to have new elections soon, Dzhambazki said. According to him, IMRO has learned lessons from the past vote, and the party’s talks will be with formations that have proven to be patriotic and patriotic.
We respect the result of everyone who ran in this election. The question of the position of the new rulers on the occasion of the EU membership of the Republic of Northern Macedonia is very important for us, the MEP said. He is adamant that our country should not make concessions, but protect the Bulgarian national interest.
