Seven Bulgarian Non-Governmental Organizations and two national media have united in a campaign for increasing the electoral activity among Bulgarians in the upcoming parliamentary elections.
The nationwide campaign, entitled Ti izbirash (You Elect), was officially launched on Monday and will continue until Election Day, June 17. It is aimed at motivating women, young people, minorities, workers, as well as representatives of small private enterprises, to take an active part in the elections.
“This is not a political campaign,” said Ognian Zlatev, spokesman of the campaign and executive director of the Media Development Centre, which is taking part in the event. “It is aimed at absolutely all Bulgarian citizens regardless of their sex, age, education, ethnicity or political preferences.”
Potential voters have been offered the chance to meet candidates for MP positions in the future Parliament, have been given printed materials on voting procedures, and have at their disposal telephones at which they may ask any election-related questions. TV and radio promotions have also been broadcast on the two national media outlets participating in the campaign – Darik Radio and bTV.
A special agitation bus will tour around the country in the last week before the elections – from June 10 to 14 – in order to make street performances staged by actors from the La Strada theatre, who summon people to vote.
“For the first time in Bulgaria, organizations which work with so many different target groups unite their efforts for one goal,” said Zlatev. “We hope that our initiatives will activate voters – because when 6,457,869 people vote, we will be heard.”
The campaign was financed by the U.S. National Democratic Institute for International Affairs through a $400,000 grant by the United States Agency for International Development.
Partners in the You Elect campaign are: the Bulgarian Association for Building Partnerships, the Bulgarian Association for Fair Elections and Civil Rights, the International Centre for Minority Studies and Intercultural Relations, the American Centre for International Labour Solidarity, the Women’s Alliance for Development, the Media Development Centre, the Bulgarian Media Coalition, the National Democratic Institute, Darik Radio and bTV.
The nationwide campaign, entitled Ti izbirash (You Elect), was officially launched on Monday and will continue until Election Day, June 17. It is aimed at motivating women, young people, minorities, workers, as well as representatives of small private enterprises, to take an active part in the elections.
“This is not a political campaign,” said Ognian Zlatev, spokesman of the campaign and executive director of the Media Development Centre, which is taking part in the event. “It is aimed at absolutely all Bulgarian citizens regardless of their sex, age, education, ethnicity or political preferences.”
Potential voters have been offered the chance to meet candidates for MP positions in the future Parliament, have been given printed materials on voting procedures, and have at their disposal telephones at which they may ask any election-related questions. TV and radio promotions have also been broadcast on the two national media outlets participating in the campaign – Darik Radio and bTV.
A special agitation bus will tour around the country in the last week before the elections – from June 10 to 14 – in order to make street performances staged by actors from the La Strada theatre, who summon people to vote.
“For the first time in Bulgaria, organizations which work with so many different target groups unite their efforts for one goal,” said Zlatev. “We hope that our initiatives will activate voters – because when 6,457,869 people vote, we will be heard.”
The campaign was financed by the U.S. National Democratic Institute for International Affairs through a $400,000 grant by the United States Agency for International Development.
Partners in the You Elect campaign are: the Bulgarian Association for Building Partnerships, the Bulgarian Association for Fair Elections and Civil Rights, the International Centre for Minority Studies and Intercultural Relations, the American Centre for International Labour Solidarity, the Women’s Alliance for Development, the Media Development Centre, the Bulgarian Media Coalition, the National Democratic Institute, Darik Radio and bTV.
