TRAINING SEMINAR ON SUBJECT: “TRANSPARENCY AND INTEGRITY IN THE ELECTORAL PROCESS: CIVIL MONITORING OF THE 2013 PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS”

On April 6, 2013, Transparency International – Bulgaria held a training seminar as part of the initiative of the organization for implementation of civil control over the preparation of the electoral process, election campaigns financing, and prevention of vote-buying and controlled vote during the forthcoming parliamentary elections.

The main objective of the training was to enhance the capacity for monitoring implementation by the participating non-governmental organizations throughout the country. The planned civil monitoring of the parliamentary elections will take place in three directions:

• Monitoring and implementation of civil control over election campaign financing;
• Monitoring of the activities of the institutions responsible for the preparation and conduct of the elections;
• Monitoring for identification of violations on Election Day;

During the seminar TI– Bulgaria experts presented:

• Newly introduced texts in the electoral legislations: Main emphases of the Electoral Code amendments;
• International experience in elections monitoring: Good and negative practices;
• Monitoring of elections campaign financing:  Approach and main elements of the 2013 parliamentary elections monitoring;
• Basic rules in the organization and elections conduct: voting and functioning of the electoral commissions;
• Status and functions of the observers and proxy representatives
• Violations of citizens’ voting rights according to national legislation;
• Interaction between civil society and institutions for prevention and counteraction against electoral violations;
• Methods and approaches for Election Day monitoring.

The training seminar was practically oriented and the observers were introduced to the necessary skills and knowledge for elections monitoring. As a result of the conducted training were formed teams for monitoring of the local elections campaigns throughout the country.