SOFIA (Bulgaria), November 11 (SeeNews) – Turnout in Bulgaria's national referendum on changes to election rules is around 12,000 votes short of the minimum required for the results to be legally binding, private national broadcaster bTV reported on Friday
The total number of votes stands at 3.488 million, bTV said, citing final results announced by the central election commission.
Thus, the referendum has reached the minimum of 20% of all 6.83 million registered voters, needed for parliament to be obliged to discuss the proposed three changes which have received a high level of popular approval.
The first question asked voters whether Bulgaria should introduce a majority voting system with absolute majority in two rounds in parliamentary elections.
The second asked if voting in elections and referenda in Bulgaria should be compulsory, while the third one sought the voters opinion whether the state subsidy for political parties and coalitions should be cut to 1 lev ($0.57/0.510 euro) per valid vote in elections.
The referendum was held in parallel with the first round of the presidential elections on November 6.