The ad-hoc parliamentary committee set up to prepare the draft for new Election Code has held hearings with the political forces represented in the parliament in order to get acquainted with their opinions on the approved version of the draft . The committee has held discussions with public organizations and had also received the opinion of the Public Council (consultative body consisting of citizens’ organizations). The committee has to present in the plenary the new election code draft until October 17th, 2013.

The Movement for Rights and Freedoms MP Mustafa Karadayu stated: “Many people and non-government organizations have tabled a number of proposals. The draft contains the different proposals and represents a good foundation. He noted the draft had received high marks on the part of the Public Council which gathers people with high reputation and public trust. He said the next step is for committee members to work out  the precised wording of the texts.

The GERB party MP Krasimir Tsipov stated his party does not support the creation of new Election Code and said the MPs from his party won’t vote in favor regardless of the way the vote would be carried out and what the report of the committee on the draft would be. He said the new election code draft reestablishes some unhealthy practices of controlled voting and added GERB had tabled a bill of its own aiming at amending and supplementing the existing Election code.

Petar Petrov, MP from the Ataka party praised the draft suggested by the ad-hoc committee, saying it is good enough at this legislative phase. He explained that his parliamentary group has certain comments on the draft related to details but as a whole the party approves the draft and is prepared to take part in the discussions.

The Coalition for Bulgaria supports the draft for new election code, declared the head of the ad-hoc committee Maya Manolova, adding the proposed draft has taken into consideration the proposals of the country’s citizens and the international organizations. She said her parliamentary group is in favor of the introduction of a voting system with a majority element, or a proportional system with a low preference that allows for permuting the lists. She added Coalition for Bulgaria is against mandatory preferences, saying it would transform one right of the citizens into an obligation. She further said the texts of the previous code are amended almost at 90 per cent and cited as example the introduction in the draft code, for the first time, of the preferential system of voting for national representatives and the of idea for establishment of a professional, permanent election administration.