The amendments link the right to vote and to be elected to a six months residence requirement.  The new provisions were moved by the head of the parliamentary Legal Affairs Committee Iskra Fidosova and other members of the political party’s GERB parliamentary group.
The draft bill suggested by Luben Kornezov – MP from Coalition for Bulgaria, was also approved at first reading. The draft of the Coalition for Bulgaria’s PG foresees similar changes as the one proposed by GERB.

The amendments passed resolve the issues considered in Decision No 4/4 May 2011 of the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Bulgaria. The latter rules that the requirement of the Electoral Code with respect to the residence duration for the country’s elections is conformant to the Constitution as long as it does not surpass six months.