Parliament decided to experimentally introduce e-voting for this year's general elections for Bulgarian Parliament, Bulgarian media said on April 14 2009.

This would be the first time e-voting will be used in Bulgaria, following calls for its introduction mainly from Bulgarians living abroad.

The elections for Bulgarian Parliament will be held between June 28 and July 5 2009 and MPs decided that between 50 and 60 polling stations would be equipped with an automated e-voting system.

The Central Election Committee will have to stipulate the way the e-voting will proceed, MPs decided when adopting the e-voting amendment to the Elections Act.

The automated systems will have a screen and a magnetic card reader device. Those who want to try the e-voting will use a magnetic card and an e-ballot to vote. After that, the voters leave the magnetic card with the local elections committee. The card will not have the voter's name on it in order to protect the voter's anonymity.

The amendment was introduced by independent MP Svetoslav Spassov. Bulgarian-language Dnevnik daily quoted him as saying that the cheapest e-voting device was made in India and would cost around 200 euro, while the most expensive device was made in The Netherlands and costed 1000 euro a piece.

According to him, installing 60 ballot stations with the devices could cost up to 100 000 leva. Total costs for the elections are estimated at around 40 million leva.

MPs rejected his idea for using e-signatures in e-voting.