After the Prime Minister’s categorical refusal to approve the $250 million budget for organizing elections, the Conseil électoral provisoire (CEP) announced in a statement that it had sent another budget proposal to the government this week. While the CEP did not mention an amount in the statement, sources within the electoral institution told Le Nouvelliste that the new budget now stands at slightly over $220 million.

In the new electoral budget proposal, the cost of the upcoming elections is not expected to fall below $220 million, or possibly slightly above, according to three electoral advisors contacted by Le Nouvelliste on Thursday.