Voter Turnout Reaches 5.8 Percent by Noon Amid Irregularities Across Bulgaria
Voter turnout reached 5.8 percent by 12:00 p.m., with 385,082 citizens casting ballots in the national election, the Central Election Commission reported, according to bTV News. Vidin recorded the highest participation rate while Kardzhali registered the lowest. Across the country, election day brought sporadic administrative chaos, ranging from an intoxicated precinct chief in Tsarevo to scuffles over political symbols in Plovdiv and technical glitches with voting machines in several districts.
Regional Election Commission Dismisses Intoxicated Precinct Chief in Tsarevo
The regional election commission in Burgas removed a precinct election commission chairman in the village of Izgrev, Tsarevo municipality, after verifying a phone complaint that he arrived at work intoxicated, BNT News reported. The chairman brought a two-liter bottle of beer into the polling station in his luggage and displayed slurred speech alongside complete disinterest in the voting process. Georgi Mihov, chairman of the Burgas regional election commission, stated that he personally spoke with the official and confirmed the alcohol symptoms before issuing a removal order. Martin Krumov, a precinct commission member, told BNT News that the ousted official sat down with his bottle at 7:10 a.m. and did not even know the voter registry count when the municipality called for turnout figures. Authorities appointed a replacement chairman and adjusted the deputy chairperson post.
Protests Over Political Symbols Spark Shouting and Scuffles in Plovdiv
A physical altercation erupted around midday at polling station No. 26 inside Dimitar Matevsky Secondary School in Plovdiv’s Trakia district over a hat bearing the letter “Z”. A man and a woman confronted a precinct commission member wearing the cap during his break. When the worker returned to duty, the pair attempted to grab the hat from him, triggering a scuffle that knocked over the ballot box. Police officers arrived and escorted both participants away for questioning. Stefan Valchev, chairman of the 17th Plovdiv regional election commission, reported a separate morning complaint involving a deputy precinct chairman in Sadovo municipality who allegedly engaged in campaigning and used racial slurs, prompting his immediate dismissal and replacement.
Machine Glitches Disrupt Voting in Haskovo and Burgas
Technical malfunctions affected voting equipment across multiple regions during the morning hours. In Haskovo, some machines did not start due to the time change. In Burgas region, two voting machines malfunctioned—one with a printer problem and another with a reader problem—forcing those stations to switch entirely to paper ballots, Regional Election Commission Chairman Georgi Mihov reported. Central Election Commission representatives noted that approximately 20 machines nationwide experienced technical issues by midday.
Frequently Asked Questions About Election Day Disruptions
What happened to the removed precinct chairman in Tsarevo?
The Burgas regional election commission officially stripped him of his credentials and appointed a replacement following confirmation that he brought a two-liter beer bottle into the polling station and showed clear signs of intoxication, BNT News reported.
Were there any injuries during the scuffle in the Plovdiv polling station?
Police intervened after a dispute over a hat featuring the letter “Z” knocked over a ballot box, but authorities confirmed that no injuries occurred and voting continued without interruption.
How many voting machines suffered technical failures by noon?
The Central Election Commission reported that about 20 machines experienced technical problems nationwide by 12:00 p.m., requiring affected stations to shift to paper ballots while technical teams addressed the glitches.