Central European Midday Report: "Progress in Digitalization in Moldova and Election Preparations in Bulgaria"

Moldova Sees Significant Increase in Digitalization of Public Services for Entrepreneurs:

Moldova's Ministry of Economic Development and Digitalization has reported a substantial increase in the digitalization of public services for entrepreneurs. The level of digitalization rose from 48.2% to 59% in the first quarter of 2024. Deputy Prime Minister Dumitru Alaiba credited this progress to the unified efforts of the government, prioritizing efficiency, transparency, and cost reduction through digitalization.

"Entrepreneurs know—digitalization helps with efficiency, reducing costs and wasted time. Digitalization helps with transparency and reduces the risk of corruption. Faster, safer, simpler, cheaper. That's why 7 out of 10 requests are already online," Alaiba stated.

In addition to focusing on services for entrepreneurs, the monitoring of the level of digitalization of public services for citizens also began in early 2024. As of May 2024, the level of digitalization for citizens' services reached 50%.

Bulgaria's Central Election Commission Prepares for Upcoming European Parliament and National Assembly Elections:

The Central Election Commission (CEC) of Bulgaria has been busy with preparations for the upcoming elections for the European Parliament and the National Assembly. The CEC Vice-Chairman Rositsa Mateva reported that parties, coalitions, and initiative committees registered to participate in the elections must submit their documents by 5:00 PM today.

So far, 24 parties and coalitions, as well as one initiative committee, have submitted registration documents for the European Parliament elections. Additionally, two parties have requested to cancel their registration for the elections on June 9.

The CEC is continuously updating its website with information about all registered candidates in a section called "Candidate Lists." Mateva also announced that a draw will take place on May 8 at 4:00 PM to determine the numbers that parties and coalitions will use on the ballot.

The pre-election campaign is set to begin at midnight on May 10, and Bulgarian citizens living outside the country have until May 14 to submit an application to vote. The CEC urged tolerance in the conduct of the campaigns.