Early Election Results Will Certainly Be Challenged, Bulgaria PM Says

Bulgaria's interim Prime Minister Ognyan Gerdzhikov said on Saturday he was confident the results of the snap election due in Marrch would be contested.

The vote would be challenged regardless of whether machine voting would be successfully implemented or there would be only paper ballots, he argued during a visit to the Bulgarian-Greek border.

He made the remark amid speculation whether machine voting - stipulated in the electoral legislation adopted last year - will be available as an option to all Bulgarian voters.

Last year's Electoral Code made it mandatory for every polling station to be equipped with a voting machine. But authorities have yet to find the machines.

Gerdzhikov added he had "set his mind" to being in office by April 27 at the latest, but also to stay on "if necessary".

The election, triggered by the resignation of Boyko Borisov as Prime Minister in November, is scheduled for March 26.