Reviewing restrictions of suffrage rights and arrangements for voting abroad, permitting use of other languages among recommendations in OSCE/ODIHR final report on Bulgaria’s early parliamentary elections

While noting that contestants in Bulgaria’s 26 March 2017 early parliamentary elections could campaign freely and that the legal framework is generally conducive to holding democratic elections, the final report by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) includes among its recommendations the review of suffrage rights and arrangements for voting abroad, and permitting the use of languages other than Bulgarian.

The report, published on 30 June 2017, recommends the review of restrictions on voting rights for prisoners and persons with mental disabilities, as well as ensuring that candidates holding dual citizenship are not prevented from standing for office and that the principle of equality of all contestants, including independent candidates, is respected. It also recommends that decisions on the locations for polling stations abroad should be taken transparently and based on consistent criteria, which may include the number of citizens eligible to vote in a given country or location.

While stressing that contestants were able to freely reach out to voters and fundamental rights and freedoms were respected, the report states that the campaign was affected by unclear or restrictive legal provisions regarding the use of campaign materials. It recommends that such restrictions be reviewed to prevent interference with freedom of expression and to ensure that individuals who identify themselves as belonging to national minorities are allowed to campaign in their mother tongues.

As some parties used inflammatory and xenophobic rhetoric, mainly targeting Roma and Turkish communities, the report recommends that the relevant state institutions undertake measures necessary to combat manifestation of such rhetoric.

Noting that the legal framework had been amended several times since the last parliamentary elections, the report states that voter education could be enhanced in scope and duration, and that consideration should be given to producing materials in languages other than Bulgarian, as necessary.

To improve the resolution of election-related disputes, the report recommends a clear stipulation in the Electoral Code that election commissions must rule on all complaints in public session, and then provide written, fully reasoned decisions. Further, it states that election commissions should consider all complaints in the manner prescribed by law and apply the law in a consistent manner.

Additional recommendations include improving the legal framework and other arrangements for the use of new voting technologies, introducing judicial oversight of voter registration on election day, requiring contestants to report interim expenditures during the campaign, and taking a proactive approach in reacting to reported violations by print and online media.

For election day, the OSCE/ODIHR election observation mission was joined by a delegation from the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe.