The Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) managed to pass yet another election-related amendment to the Penal Code, mediapool.bg reported.

A new amendment to the Penal Code would let anyone who gave themselves up for having sold their vote in the elections, escape prosecution. The amendment was proposed by the Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) and accepted at the second reading on February 8, mediapool.bg said.

The amendment had been proposed immediately after the autumn 2007 local elections, which became infamous for the unprecedented amount of vote-buying.

Just before the elections an amendment to the Penal Code was adopted under which vote-selling was punishable with one year of imprisonment or probation. Despite changes in the law, the prosecution and the Interior Ministry did not accomplish a lot in solving vote-buying cases, allegedly because no one was willing to testify that they had sold their vote, mediapool.bg said.

According to the new amendments, those who had solicited vote-selling or had bought votes would also no longer be prosecuted if they would turn themselves in. The punishment for vote-buying is up to three years of imprisonment or probation, mediapool.bg said.