Podcast in English
Text size
Bulgarian National Radio © 2025 All Rights Reserved

Voting machine scandal as election campaign draws to a close

E-Government Minister Alexander Yolovskiл
Photo: BGNES

Deputy Prime Minister Mariya Gabriel and representatives of the Central Electoral Commission will be heard at an emergency meeting of Parliament's presiding body, (including the Parliament Chair and his deputies, and the floor leaders of the parties). 

The State Agency for National Security has reported that a deputy minister for e-government videotaped the process of generating the codes for the voting machines. 

Desislava Atanasova, leader of the GERB-SDS parliamentary group, said. "I hope that We Continue the Change - Democratic Bulgaria will distance itself from this person," Atanasova added.

Toshko Yordanov, leader of the "There Is Such a People" parliamentary group, said that the voting machines had been compromised in this way and described it as a "coup d'état". 

"The machines have obviously been compromised by this report," Kostadin Kostadinov, leader of Vazrazhdane, told journalists in parliament, calling for the government's resignation. 

Delyan Peevski, co-leader of the MRF parliamentary group, said that the machines should not be used on Sunday so as not to disrupt the local vote, and called for the deputy minister to be sacked.

At a special press conference, E-Government Minister Alexander Yolovski said that the source code of the machines had not been compromised.

"The key used to digitally sign the software on the machines is held by three members of the Central Election Commission, each of whom has a third of the password. Each of them enters their own code, which only they know, and this is one third of the whole password," CEC spokesperson Rositsa Mateva told reporters at a briefing.


Последвайте ни и в Google News Showcase, за да научите най-важното от деня!
Listen to the daily news from Bulgaria presented in "Bulgaria Today" podcast, available in Spotify.

More from category

Bulgarian Judges Association raises concern over new antivirus software

Judges have opposed the introduction of a new antivirus agent on their computers. The magistrates fear that it could violate personal data protection rules and compromise the independence of the judiciary. In an official letter, the Bulgarian..

published on 11/26/25 12:21 PM

Boyko Borisov: Bulgaria will join the eurozone on January 1 despite protests

GERB leader Boyko Borisov said in Parliament that Bulgaria will become a member of the eurozone on January 1, regardless of protests organized by representatives of We Continue the Change Democratic Bulgaria (PP-DB). He was commenting on opposition..

published on 11/26/25 11:06 AM

Bulgaria at risk of non compliance with the EU's fiscal framework in 2026

Six countries, including Bulgaria, are at risk of non compliance with the EU fiscal framework in 2026. This is highlighted in the 2026 European Semester Autumn Package, adopted by the European Commission. Another 12 countries are urged to continue..

published on 11/26/25 10:06 AM