Sun, Jul 05 2009

Election transparency levels dangerously low - TIB

Wed, Apr 16 2008 15:58 CET byPetar Kostadinov 183 Views

The level of transparency in terms of political party finding was dangerously low at the 2007 municipal elections in Bulgaria, Transparency International Bulgaria (TBI)  told a news conference on April 16 2008.

The elections were given a transparency index of 1.77 points from a maximum of 10, Bulgarian news agency BTA said. This is the lowest index since 2005, when TIB had its first survey on the issue.

The current survey was conducted in October-November 2007 and covered the cities of Varna, Rousse, Haskovo, Vidin, Doupnitsa and Bourgas.

Just 131 of the 326 registered candidates for mayors and municipal councillors in the six cities have presented reports on the financing of their campaigns TIB said.

By not submitting their reports candidates have demonstrated a lack of desire to observe the law, said political analyst Anatolii Gulabov. For him it was quite obvious that a large part of the parties played the role of "letter box" formations, in other words they are used for the re-distribution of funds during elections.

Write comment

Name: Comment:
Send your comment

More in this category

Bulgarian nationalists in border protests against ‘election tourism’

Ataka and Order Law and Justice parties stage symbolic blockades at Bulgaria’s borders with Turkey on eve of July 5 2009 parliamentary election, while reports record influx of would-be voters and, it is claimed, flights are being chartered from Turkey.

Bulgaria busts vote-buying operation

In a blow against a problem that has been plaguing Bulgaria’s elections, State Agency for National Security and Interior Ministry say several people in a ‘major criminal organisation’ have been arrested for vote-buying, on the eve of the July 5 vote.

Borissov’s party, socialists both make slight gains – new polls

Barometer Info survey on July 3 2009, just ahead of the eve of Bulgaria’s national parliamentary elections, gives GERB 27.05 per cent and Sergei Stanishev’s Coalition for Bulgaria 19.09 per cent.

Rousse Shipyards sack workers following strike

The exact number of people sacked from duty out of the 600 who refused to go to work on Monday is undisclosed, although reports claim that as of June 3 at least four people were told they were surplus to requirements.

Policy Brief: Bulgaria’s July 5 parliamentary elections

Open your mind and face the unknown: the 2009 general elections in Bulgaria.