Ivailo Kalfin: We Do Not Expect more then 70-77 Thousand Bulgarians to Vote Abroad

"We do not expect more than 70-77 thousand Bulgarians to vote abroad" Minister of Foreign Affairs Ivailo Kalfin stated before leaving his portfolio in order to assume his functions as a MEP, Sega Daily reported. His words made it clear that the ballot for Bulgarian nationals who live out of the country is expensive and ineffective, the daily newspaper commented.

Kalfin presented statistical data indicating that in the vote which was held in 2001, 66132 Bulgarians voted in 158 constituencies. Four years later 77 020 voters cast their ballots in 344 constituencies.  There were 70670 Bulgarians who voted abroad on the presidential run-off in 2006.

A big portion of the voters are from Turkey but their number is foreseeable. Statistics show that 43855 Bulgarian voted there in 76 constituencies in 2005 and 55911 people voted for the presidential elections.
The biggest number of Bulgarian voters in the USA was 5000, irrespective of whether constituencies were set up in Hollywood or other exotic places.

On July, 5th Bulgarians would be able to vote in 273 constituencies all over the world although the number of ballot-boxes could slightly increase and additional ballot-sections could be opened if there are signs of keen interest. There would be ballot-boxes in all 115 Bulgarian delegations abroad. After opening the new constituency in Toulouse another one would be set up in Lille, France. Both constituencies are being established because the Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported great interest in the country.

The Central Electoral Committee declared that there will be nine new constituencies - in Dallas and San Diego, Texas (USA), in Pert and Sydney (Australia) and one in Auckland, New Zealand.. Four new voting sections will be opened in Europe. They will be in Lille, France; Brno, Czech Republic; Mostoles, Spain and one in Orkus, Denmark.