Sat, Feb 11 2012

Sanctions for vote-buying raised to 20 000 leva

Thu, Apr 02 2009 15:32 CET

byPetar Kostadinov

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Sanctions for vote-buying raised to 20 000 leva

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Two months ahead of the Bulgarian elections for European Parliament, Bulgarian MPs raised the sanction for vote-buying from 5000 leva to up to 20 000 leva.

On April 2 2009, MPs adopted amendments to the Penal Code provisions against vote-buying, a phenomenon that was widespread - and documented by TV cameras - in small towns and villages during Bulgaria's 2007 municipal and mayoral elections.

The amendments provide for those who buy votes to face imprisonment of up to five years and fines between 10 000 and 20 000 leva. Until now, the penalties were three years in jail and a fine between 1000 and 5000 leva.

Those who try to prevent someone from voting or standing for a public post will face a sentence of between one and three years in prison and a fine between 1000 and 10 000 leva.

On the same day that MPs approved the second reading of amendments, President Georgi Purvanov scheduled the elections for Bulgarian MEPs for Sunday June 7 2009.

Bulgaria is to also have elections for the national Parliament, the date of which is yet to be decided. According to Purvanov, these elections would take place on a date between June 28 and July 5 2009.

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