Bulgaria's Election Body Bans Campaign Video Showing Turkish Ambassador

All Bulgarian media outlets, websites included, should take off a campaign video which shows Turkey's Ambassador Suleyman Gokce, the Central Election Commission (CEC) has ruled.

Earlier, the Council on Electronic Media (CEM) referred the case to the Foreign Ministry, after the video had sparked outrage from nationalst VMRO party.

It protested this week against footage in DOST coalition's campaign video showing Mr Gokce for a few seconds at the beginning.

On its website, the CEC says that, according to Bulgarian legislation, "the inclusion of H.E. the Ambassador of the Republic of Turkey to the Republic of Bulgaria, Mr Suleyman Gokce, in the campaigning material of Coalition of Parties "DOST Union" as a person representing a foreign state is violation of article 183 (4) of the Electoral Code by offending morals."

The CEC has also referred the case to Sofia's Regional Governor who will be tasked with imposing sanctions on the co-chairs of the coalition, Lyutvi Mestan and Orhan Ismailov.

The decision can be appealed within 3 days.