Bulgarians Abroad To Vote in 371 Sections, 70 Countries

Bulgarians abroad will be able to vote in the upcoming snap parliamentary elections on March 26 in a total of 70 countries and 371 voting sections.

The number of sections was determined via a decision of the Central Election Commission (CEC) taken on March 4, while Bulgarians abroad filed declarations to vote out of the country until February 28.

They, however will be able to vote abroad even without a preliminary declaration, so long as they present a valid identity document.

Bulgarians who have had to travel abroad on election day will be able to vote in any section out of the country.

According to CEC's decision, the greatest number of sections will be in Great Britain - 58. The number of voting sections will be 35 in the USA and Turkey - the maximum number of sections that may be opened in a state not member of the EU.

There will be 15 sections in France, 21 in Greece and 13 in Germany.

By law, in order for a section to be opened at a given location, there must be a diplomatic mission there or at least 60 filed declarations that people wish to vote.

Over 90,000 Bulgarian citizens voted abroad in the presidential elections in November 2016 - most of them in Turkey.

Sections will not be opened in nine countries in spite of the fact that voting declarations have been filed because, according to consulates there, the situation is too complicated or the number of filed declarations is insufficient. These countries are Ethiopia, North Korea, Mongolia, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Indonesia, Iraq, Libya and Syria.