Today is a day for reflection. According to the Election Code, campaigning is not allowed 24 hours before election day and on election day.
Sociological agencies are prohibited from publishing public opinion polls on the elections in any form 24 hours before election day until the end of election day on the territory of the country. The results of sociological surveys are announced after 8:00 p.m. on election day.
Voting on Sunday starts at 7:00 a.m. and ends at 8:00 p.m., but no later than 9:00 p.m., when there are unregistered voters in front of the polling station. For polling stations outside the country, voting starts at 7:00 a.m. and ends at 8:00 p.m., or 9:00 p.m. local time, respectively.
Day for reflection
The day for reflection before elections was introduced in 1991 after the democratic changes in Bulgaria, but there was no such day between 2009 and 2011.
A reference on the European Parliament's website indicates that 16 EU member states have a silence period (a day for reflection) before the European Parliament election day. This period usually starts 24 hours before the elections and ends after the polling stations close. This is the practice in Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Greece, Italy, Latvia, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia and Spain.
In Lithuania, the silence period begins seven hours before election day, in France - from midnight on Saturday, and in Slovakia - 48 hours before the elections.
In the Netherlands, although there are no special provisions regulating a day for reflection, campaigning is not allowed in the polling stations on election day.
The restrictions in the different member states vary, with some countries prohibiting the publication of sociological surveys, campaigning or political advertising during the silence period.