Some of the parties' arguments for contesting the results echo the open letter sent to the relevant institutions by the NGO Natsionalno grazhdansko sdruzhenie "Saedinenie" (National Civic Association "Unity"), written by lawyer Rumyana Chenalova. 

In the 30-page document, the organisation informed the President, the caretaker Prime Minister and MPs of numerous violations that had been identified throughout the electoral process.

Speaking to Radio Bulgaria, Ms Chenalova highlighted the most serious problems, including irregularities in the preparation of electoral lists, the establishment of polling stations and the illegal replacement of members of polling station committees between their establishment and election day. She provided a detailed analysis of each violation:

"The electoral rolls are to be drawn up by the municipal administrations of the respective settlements on the basis of the permanent address of the voters. According to official data from the National Statistical Institute, Bulgaria's population is declining, with the death rate exceeding the birth rate. Thus, in 2017, the population of Bulgaria was 7.5 million people, 15% of whom were under the age of 18. So the number of voters was about 6 million. In 2024, the population is around 6.5 million, with just over 5 million voters. But instead of decreasing, the number of polling stations is growing. This is a direct consequence of the way the lists are drawn up. They are not updated, the names of deceased citizens are not removed from the rolls".

The increase in the number of polling stations also leads to an increase in the number of electoral commissions.

"This is a burden on the budget. But what is important is that in polling stations where 200-250 people vote, representatives of each parliamentary party are appointed - explains the lawyer. So for every 200 people there are 7 people in the committee, each of whom has political influence through the parties they represent. In Bulgaria, instead of 5 or 6 thousand polling stations, there are 12 thousand - which allows for manipulation in the reporting of election results".

Changing polling station staff after the election commissions were formed, even shortly before election day, was also a practice in past elections - said Rumiana Chenalova, citing the example of polling stations in Varna, where commissioners were changed in 419 out of 460 stations:

"It is permissible to replace a member of a polling station commission if he or she dies, falls ill, fails to appear on election day, violates an order or decision of the Central Election Commission (CEC) or the polling station commissions, for which he or she is punished and subsequently removed. It is inadmissible to replace a polling station official at the will of the political party he represents".

The lawyer also commented on the need to create a multi-member constituency (MMC) "Abroad" so that the votes of our compatriots abroad could have the same weight as those at home. This is the current situation:

"The 4 per cent threshold for entering parliament is determined on the basis of all valid ballots, including those from abroad. Then the mandates of each of these parties are calculated in the respective multi-mandate constituencies, and since there is no MMC 'Abroad', the votes cast there are not taken into account, but are distributed proportionally throughout the territory," Chenalova explained, adding:

If an MMC 'Abroad' is created, Bulgarians there will be able to put forward candidates for MPs, including independent MPs. Its creation would prevent the possibility of manipulation. Moreover, their votes will not be lost".

As for the expected decisions by the Constitutional Court on whether the president's prerogative to appoint a caretaker government can be restored and whether it is permissible to partially annul the national vote, Rumiana Chenalova is convinced that the constitutional judges could rule on them by the end of January, if there is good will.