(1) If the polling station commission receives a mailed envelope addressed to the relevant polling station before the vote counting starts and if the mailed envelope bears a notation that a ballot envelope is enclosed, the commission shall:

1)  ascertain if the voter’s name has been entered in the voting-by-mail register and if the receipt of the ballot envelope from this voter has not already been recorded in the register;

2)  ascertain if the ballot envelope bears the stamp of the relevant polling station commission;

3)  make an entry in the voting-by-mail register.

(2) A ballot envelope shall be regarded as invalid if it:

1)  does not bear the stamp of the relevant polling station commission;

2)  has been mailed by a voter whose name is not listed in the voting-by-mail register;

3)  has been mailed by a voter for whom an entry in the voting-by mail register has already been made certifying the receipt of a ballot envelope.

(3) Invalid ballot envelopes shall not be opened and shall not be dropped into the ballot box. They shall be numbered, and an entry explaining why they are regarded as invalid shall be made in the minutes. Invalid ballot envelopes, together with applications and mailing envelopes, shall be stored in accordance with the procedure set by the Central Election Commission.

(As amended by the 30 May 2002 Law)