The leadership of the MRF alerted the representatives of the OSCE mission who are in Bulgaria to observe the early parliamentary elections about unlawful police pressure and threats made by the structures of the interim government against MRF activists and mayors. The representatives of the MRF categorically informed the observers that such demonstrative actions on the part of the Ministry of the Interior are aimed only at threatening the political activists of the party and use scare tactics against local people. This is the scenario described in the infamous recording leaked from the PP-DB meeting where the leaders of the party commented on organising the elections with "our Ministry of the Interior".
The meeting with OSCE representatives was related to the observers’ mission of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe. They are in Bulgaria to observe the campaign for the forthcoming parliamentary elections on the 19th April, 2026.
The OSCE delegation was lead by Jelena Stefanovic, political analyst, and the MRF was represented by Deputy Chairpersons of the MRF and the Parliamentary Group of MRF-NEW BEGINNING, Stanislav Anastassov and Iskra Mihailova, Deputy Chairperson of the Parliamentary Group of the MRF-NEW BEGINNING, Hamid Hamid, Atidzhe Veli, Member of Parliament, and MEPs Taner Kabilov and Elena Ioncheva.
The representatives of the MRF expressed their concerns that instead of working towards the consolidation of human rights, Bulgaria was witnessing the growth of dictatorship. They shared with the observers of the repressive policies aimed at sowing fear and tension in society, directed at a specific party and its activists. All these operations are disguised as a "fight against vote buying". The MRF declared that they have received many warnings from party activists and citizens who have been subjected to police checks and unlawful arrests. These incidents will be reviewed and presented in public before the elections in the name of justice and a fair electoral process.
The MRF leadership declared that it will raise this matter at the forthcoming extraordinary session of the National Assembly convened for a hearing of the interim Interior Minister. Nevertheless, they expressed their conviction that despite the pressure on the electorate, the party masses are consolidating and mobilising to achieve an even better result.
During the meeting with representatives of the MRF, the subject of voting machines was brought up. The representatives of the MRF confirmed their consistent policy with regard to machine voting, but not with machines which do not permit public supervision when counting the results at the end of the election day.
