Bulgaria's Ministry of Internal Affairs Detains More Than 20 in Anti-Vote Trading Operations

More than 20 individuals have been detained across Bulgaria during operations led by the Ministry of Internal Affairs targeting vote buying. This information was confirmed by the Ministry.

In Pazardzhik and Panagyurishte, authorities conducted a search at a residence in Strelcha, where a 68-year-old woman resides. The investigation was initiated following a tip-off regarding the provision of property benefits in exchange for voting rights. During the search, officials seized numerous notebooks and flash drives containing personal data related to the local population. The woman was subsequently detained for 24 hours under police measures.

As part of the ongoing operation, a thorough inspection of various pawnshops, credit institutions, and commercial establishments was conducted in the Razgrad region. In the village of Osenets alone, employees from the "Combating Economic Crime" sector inspected three quick loan offices, one pawn shop, and three commercial entities.

Additionally, in the Dobrich region, the Ministry of Internal Affairs reported the detention of nine individuals during the police actions, with a total of 326 vehicles checked in the process.

In Varna, 15 arrests were made during the crackdown on vote buying, leading to three pre-trial proceedings being initiated. To date, 11 commercial establishments have been inspected.