News

The Institute for Social Integration (ISI) - Sofia, in partnership with the Foundation for European Progressive Studies (FEPS) - Brussels, monitors the elections campaign and elections process in Bulgaria for the seventh time. The two organizations aim at supporting democratic, transparent and fair presidential elections, achieving a preventive effect on possible violations of forthcoming elections and increasing citizens' participation in the electoral process. The monitoring follows three stages of observation: election legislation, media monitoring and observation of the Election Day.

On 21.02.2017 a press conference was held at the Press Club of BTA, presenting the objectives, individual stages and activities within the Monitoring.

There were also highlights and conclusions from the analysis of the electoral legislation in the context of the forthcoming special parliamentary elections.

Through the media monitoring, the team aims to observe and analyze the media environment in Bulgaria in the context of the upcoming parliamentary elections. It is divided into two main parts - quantitative monitoring and analysis of the coverage of key candidates, as well as analysis of key messages of politicians and parties that reach Bulgarian citizens through the media in our country. The quantitative monitoring traditionally began one month before the start of the election campaign (26 February) and will continue until the day after the elections (27 March).

Through the Election Day observation, ISI aims to increase civil participation in the electoral process and to work for achieving a preventive effect on the possibility of violating the elections democracy. Possible violations of the electoral process must be given the necessary publicity and be alerted to the responsible authorities and institutions. For this reason, we will use the already established network of civil observers in all constituencies in the country.