In brief
On 28 October 2026, Bulgaria’s Central Election Commission voted 8‑to‑7 to find no violation in Prime Minister Rumen Radev’s post‑first‑round statement, overlooking 105 complaints regarding official communication channels. The Yes, Bulgaria party immediately announced it will appeal the decision, arguing that the commission failed to address matters that could shield those in power.
The Central Election Commission (CEC) in Sofia voted 8‑to‑7 on 28 October 2026 to reject a complaint against Prime Minister Rumen Radev’s statement about the first round of the presidential election, concluding that the remarks did not breach the Election Code. The ruling, delivered after the commission adopted Decision No. 417 of October 27, was based on the timing of the statement, which was made after the first round and before the official campaign period, and on the fact that it was issued outside state‑owned institutions.
Radev delivered the comments at the opening of the Sofia Economic Forum, addressing reporters by saying the election was a “life‑and‑death battle” and urging voters to support Iliana Iotova. The Government Information Service subsequently issued a press release containing the Prime Minister’s words, a move critics say effectively constituted campaign material distributed through state channels.
More than 105 complaints were filed by the Yes, Bulgaria party and other observers, calling for the CEC to rule on the legality of using the Council of Ministers’ official website and press service to broadcast Radev’s endorsement of Iotova. The commission’s report notes that it explicitly refused to adjudicate the merits of those complaints, citing a lack of a clear inflammatory content in the statement itself, while noting that the dissemination through government channels was the central issue.
A spokesperson from Yes, Bulgaria said:
"The CEC must not become an institutional shield that protects those in power from scrutiny. The commission’s independence is not a privilege that allows it to avoid making difficult decisions. It is an obligation to apply the law equally to everyone."
The party’s representative, Democratic Bulgaria MP Ivaylo Mirchev, added that the majority in the CEC, formed by representatives from Progressive Bulgaria and Vazrazhdane, “did everything possible to avoid answering the question of whether it is permissible for the official website and press service of the Council of Ministers to disseminate Prime Minister Rumen Radev’s call to support a specific presidential candidate.”
In a statement released the same day, Yes, Bulgaria announced it would file an appeal against the CEC’s decision, arguing that the commission’s unwillingness to rule on the merits of the 105 complaints constitutes a violation of equal application of the law and shields those in power from scrutiny.
