Integrity Pact
On November 24, 2008, the Civil Society Coalition for Free and Democratic Vote launched an initiative for adopting measures against vote-buying at the Bulgarian parliamentary election and the election for Bulgarian Members of the European Parliament scheduled for the summer of 2009. The initiative was launched by nine non-governmental organisations: Transparency International – Bulgaria, Open Society Institute – Sofia, Bulgarian School of Politics, European Institute, Green Balkans, Institute for Market Economy, Foundation for Local Government Reform, Centre for Economic Development and Centre for Liberal Strategies.
The civic campaign aims to raise social sensitivity to problems related to the abuse of voting rights, vote-buying and the financing of election campaigns. So far, more than 40 non-governmental organisations and 19 political parties, represented in the National Assembly and the European Parliament, have backed the initiative. It includes lobbying for legislative and administrative amendments, a wide campaign among Bulgarian citizens explaining their rights and responsibilities as voters, and monitoring.
Concrete steps - the Integrity Pact
On January 21, 2009, the Integrity Pact for Conducting Free and Democratic Election was signed in Sofia by the Civic Coalition and 19 parties represented in the National Assembly and the European Parliament. The document aims to induce political parties to take measures against vote-buying and conduct campaigns in line with the principles of transparency, publicity and accountability.
The Integrity Pact proposes undertaking legal, administrative and organisational measures including: creation of regional vote-counting centres; inclusion of explicit statements on all propaganda materials that vote-buying is a crime and violates voter rights; creation of a public registry of donors, open to civic control in real time; creation of a special body which will have the authority to investigate whether declared incomes corresponds to the costs of election campaigns.
The Civic Coalition will carry out monitoring on the progress in the Integrity Pact’s implementation by the political parties. The result will be published in a report which will be available on this site.
Link for "Ne prodavai glasa si" ("Don`t cell your vote") video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JX9TBLXCmYU
Download the Report from the monitoring of the Elections of Bulgarian Members of the European Parliament and the Elections of members of the 41-st National Assembly of Bulgaria
