Sofia, April 1 (BTA) - In a BTA interview ahead of the April 4
general elections, Deputy Prime Minister Mariyana Nikolova, who
is in charge of their organization, said that everyone will be
able to exercise freely their right to vote. This has been
confirmed repeatedly by the health authorities and by Health
Minister Kostadin Angelov, she added.

Asked whether the Central Election Commission and the executive
have provided adequate instructions on holding the elections,
Nikolova said that for the first time elections are being held
amid a pandemic and thanked the institutions which are directly
or indirectly involved in them for the good dialogue. According
to her, the scheduling of the elections on April 4 has created
challenges for the Foreign Ministry but its staff have managed
to open a record-large number of 465 voting sections abroad and
most likely talks are underway with more authorities around the
world to make exceptions to the effective COVID-19 restrictions.

According to Nikolova, conditions have been created so that
Bulgarians can exercise their right to vote.

The election papers have been printed on time and have been
delivered to the municipalities. They are stored on premises
that have been inspected and guarded the Interior Ministry.

Regarding possible cyber attacks and the tallying of the votes
within the statutory deadline, Nikolova said that after a
working meeting with the Information Services company and the
Chief Directorate for Combating Organized Crime, Bulgaria has
endorsed a protocol for cyber attack response.

In order to save a sleepless night for members of section
election commissions submitting the tally sheets, regional
governors have been instructed to use all the available
resources to back the work of the constituency commissions on
election night.

In addition, each regional administration in coordination with
the constituency election commission has drawn up plans for
receiving tally sheets from section election commissions.

Nikolova said that more than 120,000 people will be involved in
the elections in addition to party agents. These include members
 of section and constituency election commissions, over 20,000
police officers, and disinfection staff among others.

The Health Ministry has ordered four different disinfectants:
for hands, floors, surfaces and for the voting machines. At the
entrance to each voting booth there will be a hand sanitizer and
 disposable face masks.

Nikolova noted that vaccines had been given to all members of
section and constituency election commissions who wanted them.
According to the Deputy Prime Minister, there are conditions in
place for safe voting.

Facts:

Over 20,000 police officers will be involved in the elections.

Some 300 police patrols will escort the delivery of the voting
machines before Election Day.

The Foreign Ministry has posted 160 people abroad to help
organize the elections.

A total of 71,000 litres of disinfectants have been supplied for
 the elections, including 40 litres of hand sanitizer.

800,000 high-protection face masks have been supplied for
members of the section and constituency election commissions.

Over 25,000 staff have been hired to disinfect voting sections.

Over 35,000 members of section and constituency election
commissions have received at least one shot of COVID-19
vaccines.

Three million disposable face masks have been supplied for those
 who will cast a ballot. RI/PP