No Chance for a Government? Calls for Full Election Annulment Grow as Trust in Bulgarian Democracy Wanes

Political scientist Ralitsa Simeonova has expressed concern that the chances of forming a government in Bulgaria diminish with each passing day. In an interview with BNR, she described the electoral process as deeply flawed and emphasized that discussions about forming a government should not be a priority.

Simeonova pointed to evidence of manipulated votes, citing videos that show members of the Sectional Election Commissions (SECs) altering votes, causing ballots intended for one political entity to be transferred to another. She underscored the need for accountability from various institutions involved in the election process, advocating for a complete annulment of the elections. According to her, partial annulments would only serve to sidestep the underlying issues. She noted that the Constitution designates specific entities, including the Council of Ministers, the president, a fifth of the members of parliament, the Supreme Court, and the chief prosecutor, as eligible to petition the Constitutional Court to annul the elections.

Simeonova characterized the current situation as a multifaceted crisis, highlighting that the integrity of the election process—a fundamental aspect of democracy—has been compromised. She commented on President Rumen Radev's appeal, stating that while words are one thing, action is necessary. She urged him to utilize his authority to challenge the election results in the Constitutional Court if he possesses pertinent information.

She firmly stated that "bought and controlled democracy is not true democracy" and called for urgent measures by responsible institutions to restore public trust by completely invalidating the elections.

Ivelin Mihailov, the ideologue of the "Greatness" party, echoed...