Employees hired under the Youth Employment Programme of Bulgaria’s Ministry of Labour and Social Policy (MLSP) have allegedly been carrying out illegal election campaigning in Valnari, the largest village in Nikola Kozlevo municipality.
Workers employed under the programme have reportedly been visiting homes and handing out promotional materials for DPS, along with lighters bearing the number 17 – the number assigned to Delian Peevski’s political formation on the ballot paper. Residents of Valnari told “Za Istinata” about the alleged activity.
Witnesses have filed a report via the emergency number 112 and with the social affairs ministry. Police and ministry representatives are expected to investigate.
According to the complaint, employees hired under the MLSP programme were distributing DPS campaign materials from door to door, together with copies of the ballot paper, and showing local residents how to vote for number 17.
“People employed under these programmes are being pressured by municipal mayors to work for a particular political force,” a resident of Valnari said.
The village matters in elections
The largest village in Nikola Kozlevo municipality has more than 1,300 residents and attracts particular attention during elections.
At the previous parliamentary election in October 2024, municipal mayor Ismail Ibryam, then affiliated with DPS–New Beginning, was reportedly present in one of the polling stations in Valnari, in breach of electoral law, and threatened journalists covering the vote.
Now, just days before the upcoming election, the mayor used his personal Facebook profile to directly call on residents of Nikola Kozlevo to vote for DPS.
“Support DPS with number 17 on the ballot! Vote for development, stability and work with real results! Vote for the future of Nikola Kozlevo municipality!” Ibryam wrote.
The post appeared on the evening of 15 April. In it, the mayor said that “when there is responsible governance, a clear vision and genuine care for people, the results are visible”.
He cited renovated roads and streets, new playgrounds, refurbished municipal buildings, improved infrastructure and upgraded public spaces as examples of the changes in the municipality.
Ibryam also said more major projects and opportunities were ahead and urged residents to support Peevski’s DPS.
Although he is one of Peevski’s most active mayors in the Deliorman region, Ibryam is not on the party’s parliamentary candidate list. His appeal was made in his capacity as a public official rather than as a candidate.
The appeal was made on his personal Facebook account and, formally, this does not breach the Electoral Code. According to an earlier decision by the Central Election Commission, mayors may campaign on Facebook even if they are not candidates in the relevant election, provided they comply with certain legal restrictions.
The post may therefore be formally lawful, but in practice it can directly influence residents of the municipality, particularly those whose livelihoods or access to services depend on local authorities.
Social programmes and electoral pressure
Caretaker social affairs minister Hasan Ademov said several days ago that there was virtually no area of public life in Bulgaria that could not be used for election campaigning.
He said people in difficult social circumstances were particularly vulnerable to manipulation. Among the areas he identified as being at risk were social programmes such as hot-meal schemes, personal assistant services and the work of social assistance directorates.
He also warned of the possibility of outside interference in procedures assessing people with disabilities, saying pressure was sometimes exerted through managers of social services and representatives of local authorities.
The ministry began inspections across the country in mid-March after receiving reports of similar abuses.
“We visited six planning regions to prevent practices in which people’s livelihood depends on their vote,” Ademov said in late March during a visit to Samuil municipality.
He said the government’s actions were aimed at tackling violations rather than targeting institutions themselves, and urged citizens to report suspected abuses to the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy.
The Shumen Regional Directorate of the Interior confirmed to “Za Istinata” that police officers were in Valnari investigating the report of alleged improper campaigning by social programme workers.
The case has also been referred to the prosecutor’s office, the regional police directorate said.
