site.btaMedia Review: November 10

HEADLINES

Monday’s print editions focus on health, the economy, and household finances. 24 Chasa warns of a severe flu strain, described as the strongest in a decade, which has mutated over the summer. Trud reports that pharmacies are in shock and hospitals could face medicine shortages after the New Year, while another headline notes that the government will submit the 2026 state budget to Parliament without any revisions. Telegraph highlights the surge in property values, stating that real estate ownership has made Bulgarians “twice as wealthy”. Duma’s frontpage story is about Lukoil Bulgaria and how the Bulgarian Energy Holding may acquire the company. 

Monday’s morning programmes focused on political developments, public health, and economic issues.

The Bulgarian National Television’s (BNT) morning programme discussed the latest wave of political scandals in Parliament in an interview with Continue the Change leader Assen Vassilev. Other topics included the resignation of the Public Council overseeing the construction of the National Children’s Hospital, the future of waste separation in 16 Sofia districts, and a report on smugglers impersonating police officers, with Border Police Director Chief Commissioner Anton Zlatanov as guest.

bTV’s morning programme centred on who will manage Lukoil’s operations following recent legislative changes, farmers’ objections to the 2026 Budget, and the launch of the new season of the culinary show Yes, Chef.

Nova TV covered a range of social and economic stories - the condition of a woman stabbed in broad daylight in Blagoevgrad, the introduction of camera traps against illegal dumping in Debelets, and concerns that a new state business software system could raise the prices of cheese and yellow cheese. The programme also featured comments from Nadezhda Bobcheva on waste management in Sofia’s Lyulin and Krasno Selo districts, a segment marking Men’s Health Month on the importance of prevention, and a discussion on why the State Agency for National Security (SANS) has been tasked with guarding the Lukoil refinery in Burgas.

The Bulgarian National Radio’s (BNR) Monday programming featured a wide range of political, economic, and social commentary.

Carlos Contrera said the government must present a clear concept for the future of Lukoil amid the ongoing security and ownership discussions. Nikola Bakalov assured listeners that everyone will be able to withdraw euros from ATMs starting January 1, while Nikola Yankov emphasized that banning fuel exports would be illegal under EU law. Political scientist Lyubomir Stefanov argued that the 2026 Budget draft required a more responsible and strategic approach, and SME association head Eleonora Negulova warned that a “snowball is rolling toward small businesses and will sweep us away like an avalanche”. Psychologist Prof. Hristo Kozhuharov commented on public attitudes, saying that many Bulgarians tend to attribute their personal failures to external factors such as Elon Musk or “magic”.

ECONOMY 

Deputy National Assembly Chair and Vazrazhdane Deputy Leader Tsoncho Ganev told Darik Radio that the government is “entering the euro area with BGN 40 billion in new debt”, calling this not a reform but “the mortgaging of the state for generations to come”.

Ganev said the public campaign in support of adopting the euro rests on two main arguments, lower interest rates on loans and an increase in foreign investment, which he described as “propaganda rather than economic arguments”. According to him, Bulgaria will not benefit from the change but will instead enter a “debt spiral” that could lead to external control over the country’s financial policy. “Once we run a large deficit, someone will come and tell us to stop updating pensions, not raise wages, and cut spending on outside instructions.”

He stressed that Bulgaria is joining the eurozone at the worst possible moment amid record new debt, artificially reduced budget deficits, and the absence of a real industrial policy. Ganev also described the draft 2026 Budget as “neither social nor realistic”, arguing that instead of supporting the most vulnerable, it increases the tax and social security burden primarily on small businesses, while protecting large capital interests.

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Political analyst Svetoslav Malinov told Nova TV’s morning programme that the state-appointed special commercial administrator must ensure the operational management of Lukoil’s refinery in Burgas. He noted that Bulgaria is not the first country to introduce such a position, citing Germany as an example, where a similar arrangement has been in place for several years. According to Malinov, the main issue is not one of capacity or competence, but of trust: “The brief meeting of the parliamentary energy committee only deepened the mistrust. There are doubts about whether the state can guarantee the special administration regime, not in terms of expertise, but in terms of credibility,” he said.

On November 7, following the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s statement that Gunvor Group is a “Russian puppet,” Parliament approved at first and second reading amendments expanding the powers of the so-called special manager, who will take over control of the Burgas refinery. Under the new rules, all management decisions will require approval by the Council of Ministers and will not be subject to suspension or judicial review.

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Commentators on bTV analysed the government’s measures concerning Lukoil’s refinery in Burgas, focusing on their aims and possible consequences.

Economist Ivaylo Stanchev said the key question is the real purpose behind the actions taken. “There has been speculation that the goal is to protect the refinery’s working capital, as it could easily be withdrawn. If a special manager is appointed, they will need substantial funds – tens of millions of leva – to operate effectively. There is a risk that if steps such as nationalisation are taken without coordination, the state could be left without efficient operational management,” he warned.

Energy expert Martin Vladimirov commented that the state’s measures are logical given the risks of financial and physical sabotage. “More than 30 companies with Russian or Bulgarian ownership are linked to the refinery. Some of the company’s assets could be transferred to related entities to obstruct control or a future sale, such transfers already took place in 2024. The special administrator will have the right to operate all company accounts, which is standard practice,” he said.

According to journalist Samuil Ognyanov, the real problem is that the refinery could shut down as early as November 21 if Bulgaria does not receive a sanctions waiver. “We still have no decision from the United States on postponing the sanctions. Germany and Hungary have already secured such agreements, but if this does not happen within days, the refinery will stop because no payments can be made. There are fuel stocks, but no mechanism to pay for them,” he explained.

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BNT reported that the State Agency for National Security (DANS) is conducting an inspection at the Lukoil refinery in Burgas, owned by the Russian oil giant, as well as at the offices of Lukoil Bulgaria. According to the broadcaster, the operation began at the end of last week. The refinery’s press office declined to comment on the ongoing action. A statement from the government press service said that the Interior Ministry and the Defence Ministry have implemented additional measures to ensure security, including by sea and air.

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Mediapool reports that Economy Minister Petar Dilov said on Sunday evening that he is “fully confident” that Bulgaria will receive a waiver from U.S. sanctions affecting the Lukoil refinery in Burgas, which are due to take effect on November 21. The statement came a day after Hungary secured a one-year derogation following President Viktor Orban’s visit to Donald Trump.

“The situation between Hungary and Bulgaria is very different, because Hungary works exclusively with Russian oil and has no technical capacity to process anything else. We have not used Russian crude for more than a year. We are requesting a waiver from these sanctions to allow the refinery to continue operating, and I am fully confident that we will obtain it,” Dilov said.

He added that all necessary measures have been taken to prevent a fuel supply crisis in the country. As for a possible sale of Lukoil’s assets, the minister stated that this is not a current priority. “The main goal is to ensure the continuity of operations, as this refinery supplies 80% of Bulgaria’s fuel,” Dilov explained.

HEALTHCARE

BNT’s morning programme featured Prof. Iva Hristova, Director of the National Centre for Infectious and Parasitic Diseases, who said that flu activity in Bulgaria remains stable and at low levels of spread. “Compared to last year, incidence is even slightly lower. It’s still early November, the virus is just gathering strength and will intensify in December,” she noted.

Prof. Hristova attributed the lower rate of illness partly to increased interest in vaccination. “Vaccination is the strongest weapon in the fight against vaccine-preventable diseases such as influenza. This year, 100,000 more doses were purchased than last year, and that makes a difference,” she explained. According to her, from the start of the flu season between weeks 40 and 45 levels of influenza and acute respiratory infections in Bulgaria have remained below those recorded a year ago.

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Trud reports that pharmacists have expressed strong concern over a new requirement in the draft 2026 state budget that obliges pharmacies to use only sales management software registered with the National Revenue Agency (NRA). According to pharmacists, the measure could force many pharmacies to close after the New Year, leaving patients and their families searching for outlets able to comply with the regulation in time. They argue that the obligation is unnecessary, as the sector has long operated transparently.

Pharmacists have already threatened to stage a protest if the rule for mandatory use of sales management software in commercial outlets takes effect on January 1, 2026. The Bulgarian Pharmaceutical Union recalled that in 2018 the Finance Ministry repeatedly extended the registration deadline and eventually abandoned the requirement for complex technical reasons. “The current proposal would make it impossible for pharmacies to function after January 1, 2026, depriving patients of access to medicines,” the union warned.

Pharmacists further cautioned that the government’s plan could trigger an unprecedented national health crisis, noting that pharmacies will also need to adapt their software to operate in two currencies leva and euros  from the start of 2026, which they described as a major technical challenge.