Podcast in English
Text size
Bulgarian National Radio © 2025 All Rights Reserved

Early elections - 27 October 2024:

Very high turnout of Bulgarians in Brussels

Photo: Personal archive

Very high turnout by midday at one of the 16 polling stations in the heart of Europe - Brussels. 334 Bulgarians (as of 15:00 Bulgarian time) have so far exercised their right to vote in Section 2 of the Permanent Representation of Bulgaria to the EU, the section's deputy chairwoman Aneta Todorova told Radio Bulgaria. For comparison, only three months ago, the total number of voters in the section for the whole day was 332 people. 

"The previous time, interest increased around midday, when a kilometre-long queue formed, and probably people learned their lesson and just planned their time more flexibly. With 300 by midday, I'm guessing that many more will come in the afternoon."

At the polling station, people could vote either by paper ballot or by machine. There were no problems with the actual organisation of the day, Todorova said. 

Aneta Todorova

"So far there has not been any defect in the machine. We have read that there are many such cases in Bulgaria, but we have not had any problems".

The attitude of her fellow citizens in Brussels is mixed, Aneta tells us. People don't feel like voting so many times a year, and each time they said they hoped it would be the last time and that a government would finally be formed". She herself does not think that will happen this time.

"Now it seems to me that not enough people voted in Bulgaria. I don't know how dangerous this is for democracy, but not everyone exercises their right to vote, at least according to what we read, in our country 10% had voted by midday. And here the percentage is much higher," says the Bulgarian soprano with a touch of reproach and bitterness.

"I am taking part again (in the election process - ed.) because I hope for a good future for our country. After all, our parents live there, our relatives, and by voting from abroad we hope to help them. And to return one day to a better country".



Последвайте ни и в Google News Showcase, за да научите най-важното от деня!
Listen to the daily news from Bulgaria presented in "Bulgaria Today" podcast, available in Spotify.

More from category

It will be warm and windy with possible precipitation in the southeastern regions

On Saturday , the lowest temperatures will be between 9 and 14°C; in Sofia - it will be around 9°C. In the morning there will be fog and poor visibility in the valleys and fields in Western Bulgaria. During the day there will be..

published on 11/21/25 7:50 PM

Father of 12-year-old Siyana, who lost her life in a road accident, hands over resignation request to Supreme Court of Cassation Chairperson

Nikolai Popov - the father of 12-year-old Siyana, who lost her life in a heavy road accident, handed over to the Chairperson of the Supreme Court of Cassation Galina Zakharova a request from over 22 thousand people against corruption in the judicial..

published on 11/21/25 7:01 PM

Vice President for Europe of the American Jewish Committee in Sofia: Tolerance is part of the identity of Bulgarian society

The tolerance of the Bulgarian people, proven over the centuries, is a guarantee against xenophobia and anti-Semitism, which have no roots in our society. This was stated by President Rumen Radev at a meeting in Sofia with Anne-Sophie Sebban-Bécache ,..

published on 11/21/25 6:54 PM