The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is doing everything possible to guarantee the right to vote of the maximum number of our compatriots abroad
17 January 2021 News
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has begun preparations for organizing parliamentary elections abroad. The task of the working group set up by Deputy Prime Minister Ekaterina Zaharieva is clear - to guarantee the right of the maximum number of our compatriots abroad despite the difficult epidemic situation.
As a result of the tasks set by Minister Zaharieva, a number of organizational actions were undertaken.
The heads of our overseas missions have already received instructions:
- to request the consent of the host country for holding elections and for opening sections both on the territory of our diplomatic and consular missions and outside them. Such requests should be made in all countries where the relevant embassy head is accredited.
- to send immediately the answers of the respective countries to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which will inform the Central Election Commission and the public about them.
The working group at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was tasked with preparing a draft budget for the elections abroad. It should provide the necessary means for disinfection and protection of the health of voters and members of election commissions, means for business trips for members of section commissions sent by Bulgaria, in accordance with the requirements of the relevant countries for mandatory PCR test and / or quarantine, as well as providing materials to ensure the strict observation of the sanitary protocol, which is to be introduced by the Ministry of Health.
Elections Section has been opened on the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, where important information related to voting abroad will be published. Our compatriots can find out about the specific voting conditions both from the websites of the respective diplomatic missions and from their social media profiles.
The representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs also held a meeting with the Central Election Commission, where they discussed all the challenges in organizing the election process abroad, especially with regard to the coincidence of the election date set by the head of state with Catholic Easter, when a number of countries are expected to further restrict movement and social contacts in the weekend.