In brief
The Yes, Bulgaria Party, part of the Democratic Bulgaria coalition, will appeal the Central Election Commission’s ruling that no election code was broken by Prime Minister Rumen Radev’s remarks. The appeal focuses on the CEC’s refusal to adjudicate over 105 complaints about the use of government channels to back candidate Iliana Iotova. While the Commission said the PM’s comments were made before the campaign period and were not campaign material, critics argue that airing them through official channels undermined fair play.
Yes, Bulgaria Party says it will appeal the Central Election Commission’s (CEC) decision that Prime Minister Rumen Radev’s recent remarks did not break the election code. The party points to the Commission’s refusal to rule on more than 105 complaints that the government’s official website and press service promoted presidential candidate Iliana Iotova.
On 28 October 2026, the CEC voted 8‑to‑7 that Radev’s statement, made on the weekend after the first round of the presidential election and before the official campaign period, did not violate the election code. The Commission said the remarks were issued from a private setting and were not broadcast on state‑controlled media, and therefore could not be deemed campaign material.
Yes, Bulgaria, one of the parties in Democratic Bulgaria, says that the CEC’s majority—formed largely by members of Progressive Bulgaria and Vazrazhdane—failed to address whether it is permissible for the official website and press service of the Council of Ministers to disseminate a prime minister’s call for a specific candidate. The party argues that the Commission’s inaction creates an institutional shield that protects those in power from scrutiny.
The party’s statement warns that the matter involves official communication channels maintained with public funds, not a private campaign platform. It calls on the CEC to enforce the law equally for all, refusing to let the Commission avoid making difficult decisions.
This is particularly alarming, because we are not talking about a party page, a personal profile, or a campaign platform. We are talking about the official communication channels of the Council of Ministers, maintained with public funds.
Speaking on the issue, Yes, Bulgaria said: "The CEC must not become an institutional shield that protects those in power from scrutiny. The commission’s independence is not a privilege that allows it to avoid making difficult decisions. It is an obligation to apply the law equally to everyone."
