WASHINGTON, Untied States -- October's local elections in Bulgaria saw unprecedented vote buying worth around 102m euros, the US State Department said on Wednesday (March 12th) in its annual report on the state of human rights in Bulgaria. The report cites as a serious problem so-called "voting tourism," which involved buses transporting Turkish nationals with dual citizenship to Bulgaria to cast their ballots. The report blames business owners and figures from organised crime who are trying to gain access to EU financing via Bulgarian politicians.

Other issues of concern cited in the report include freedom of expression, police and prison systems and abuses against children. (Darik, BGNES, BTA - 12/03/08)