Balgarianovinite.com The leadership of the Movement for Rights and Freedoms (MRF) has alerted the OSCE mission for the April 19 parliamentary elections to “unlawful police pressure and intimidation by structures of the caretaker government against MRF activists and mayors”, the party’s press centre said on Tuesday. MRF representatives told OSCE observers that high-profile actions by the Interior Ministry target solely the party’s political activists and are intended to intimidate local communities.
The party linked the reported actions to a scenario outlined in a widely publicized recording from a Continue the Change – Democratic Bulgaria meeting in 2023, at which leaders of the coalition commented on holding elections with “our Ministry of Interior”.
The talks with OSCE representatives were held in connection with the election observation mission, which is in Bulgaria to monitor the campaign ahead of the early parliamentary elections.
The OSCE delegation was led by political analyst Jelena Stefanovic. Representing the Movement for Rights and Freedoms were MRF deputy chairpersons Stanislav Anastassov and Iskra Mihaylova, who are also deputy floor leaders of the MRF-New Beginning parliamentary group, Deputy Floor Leader Hamid Hamid, Atidzhe Veli MP of MRF-New Beginning, and European Parliament members Taner Kabilov and Elena Yoncheva.
The MRF representatives expressed concern that, instead of fostering a race to uphold human rights, Bulgaria is consolidating a form of dictatorship. They told the OSCE observers that a repressive policy is being carried out to spread fear and tension in society, targeting a specific party and its activists. The party said it has received numerous reports from activists and citizens subjected to what it said were police checks and unlawful detentions. These reports will be compiled and made public after the elections in the interest of ensuring a fair and transparent electoral process.
The MRF leadership said the issue would be raised at an April 1 extraordinary sitting of the National Assembly during a hearing of the caretaker Interior Minister. They expressed confidence that, despite pressure on voters, the party’s activists are consolidating and mobilizing, and are likely to achieve an even stronger result.
The issue of voting machines was also raised. The party confirmed its consistent support for machine voting, but only with machines that allow public oversight when results are tallied at the end of the election day. Movement for Rights and Freedoms Alerts OSCE to “Unlawful Police Pressure” by Caretaker Government in Favour of Other Participants 2026 THE NEWS FROM BULGARIA – NEWS AGENCY 2009-2025 2026-03-31 15:50:00 Latest news World news Country news Most important news latest news most important latest of the day Justice Petar Nizamov Feathers Petar Nizamov- Feathers Justice bg iustitia.bg iustitia iusticia usticia investigation Burgas Bulgaria news news of the last hour news of the day news of today Bulgaria news The news from Bulgaria blitz news top news most important most commented latest news Boyko Borisov news weather coronavirus news news weather facebook youtube facebook instagram news today news of the last minutes news today today news news bg news leading news hot news bg news site for news all news news bg news of the last hour latest latest news bg news of today news today news today news of the last hour latest news today news bg news news 24 hours news vesti bg novini news world bird bg bivol bg bivol trud bg novini latest news today novinite bg news hello bulgaria political party coat of arms delyan peevski scandalous Bulgarian National Television Free Europe Television scandal exclusive live tv live right now tv tv online tv program bg live now tv news online tv online live court Burgas court Burgas district court Burgas court Burgas district court Burgas district court Burgas appellate court Burgas prosecutor Burgas prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Prosecutor General Ivan Geshev Prosecutor Geshev Tsatsarov Ministry of Internal Affairs Burgas ODMR Burgas ODPR Burgas police Burgas district police Burgas prosecutor Tsatsarov SGS cases Varna court chairman of the SGS court decisions on civil cases decisions on cases Plovdiv court decision of the court decisions cases Varna court criminal cases district district court decisions work in the court SGS chairman of the SGS judges Sofia court post judges Plovdiv court Plovdiv judges Plovdiv Supreme Court Inspectorate Supreme Court Supreme Judicial Council lawyer lawyer criminal cases lawyer civil cases lawyer marriage cases lawyer administrative criminal law criminal process civil law civil process administrative law constitutional law