Bulgaria opens 710 polling stations abroad for the October 27 early parliamentary elections

The Central Election Commission (CEC) has determined the locations and countries where polling stations will be opened outside the country for the upcoming parliamentary elections on 27 October. There are 710 polling stations at this stage, in a total of 57 countries, with no polling stations in Ukraine, Lebanon, Israel, Iran. The largest number of polling stations abroad will be in Turkey - 168, and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland - 112.

66 polling stations will be opened in Germany, 64 in Spain, 52 in the USA, 27 in Italy and 23 in neighbouring Greece.

CEC presented sample of the ballot paper for the 27 October elections

The number of polling stations abroad has been determined on the basis of the applications submitted for voting abroad, as well as based on the information received from Bulgaria’s Foreign Ministry.

According to the latest information from the Ministry, the following countries are expected to give their consent: Austria for the polling stations outside diplomatic and consular missions, Algeria, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Norway and Switzerland for the polling stations outside the diplomatic and consular missions. These places are therefore listed for opening, under condition, subject to receipt of specific authorisation no later than 14 October.

Following the reasoned proposal of the Bulgarian Embassy in Baku, Azerbaijan, it is not to open a polling station there due to inexpediency.

The Czech Republic allows polling stations only on the territory of the diplomatic mission, so Brno, Iława, Liberec, Mladá Boleslav and Pilsen will also not open polling stations.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Germany gives its consent for early elections to the National Assembly of the Republic of Bulgaria only for specific locations and addresses.