Police have run 140 operations against vote buying and opened two pre-trial cases, acting interior ministry chief secretary Chief Commissioner Lyubomir Nikolov told reporters.
Nikolov has personally ordered preventive checks in all busy towns and villages where votes are bought. They focus mostly on Roma neighbourhoods and places the ministry watched at past elections.
"We are working on several fronts. First of all, we are working against vote buying," Nikolov said. He said the ministry has taken steps to guarantee free voting and a lawful ballot.
Nikolov said police have identified suspects, "there are many of them", and are working with them all the time. For now, those who trade in votes and people with election-related offences are keeping quiet, but this does not make the ministry's work any less important. He said he hoped things would stay that way and added that police would act at once if needed.
Police are also drawing up formal warnings and taking other preventive steps under the Interior Ministry Act. Nikolov said the ministry is not that active on TikTok, but it is active on the ground.
The ministry is also monitoring cyberspace to stop any cyberattack, mainly on election day and the day before.
Asked by BTA about the investigation into email threats to institutions, Nikolov said the ministry is working on the case with help from other agencies, and the FBI is involved. He expects information soon that will lead to named suspects.