site.btaMedia Review: May 7

POLITICS

Dnevnik: President Iliana Iotova gave an assessment of Andrey Gurov’s caretaker Cabinet  and addressed the incoming regular government. “They have largely fulfilled their most important task – to ensure a normal electoral process and to a considerable extent deal with schemes such as vote buying, but let us be clear that this is only the beginning,” she said.
She added: “If the new government stops, because there will not be elections anytime soon, that would be a serious mistake, because these schemes have been built over decades. These first steps must be continued in the future.”
President Iotova congratulated Finance Minister Georgi Klisurski, “because it was extremely difficult for him under conditions without a budget.” “My assessment of this Cabinet is good, and there is something very valuable – for the first time in many years, the caretaker Government will hand over power to the next government without unnecessary confrontation,” she added.

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24 Chasa: Progressive Bulgaria will not merge ministries for now, but will instead optimise them in order to reduce spending. Some departments and agencies are expected to be merged or closed under the new administration as part of cost-cutting measures.
The decision is aimed at allowing the new government to start work quickly, as major structural changes in the Council of Ministers could cause delays. Officials also warn this could put at risk funding under the Recovery and Resilience Plan - around EUR 3 billion in suspended payments, as well as a further EUR 700 million from other EU programmes.
Officially, Rumen Radev has not spoken about merging ministries, but other representatives of his political formation have made such statements. On Sunday, MP Konstantin Prodanov told bTV that “certain optimisation through merging of institutions” is expected, without giving further details.
The new government is expected to have a prime minister and 19 ministries. The prime minister is expected to be Rumen Radev himself, with at least two deputies. Their names are expected to be announced Thursday, when President Iliana Iotova will hand over the mandate to form a government at 5 p.m. The mandate is expected to be returned immediately completed, with the cabinet sworn in on Friday in parliament.
“The new government will begin governing in a very difficult moment,” President Iotova said in an interview with BNT. She noted that it is necessary to analyse the current situation, citing the challenge of operating for half a year on last year’s budget and the impact of inflation and the adoption of a new currency. She also called for support for the poorest citizens and urged the incoming authorities to communicate their decisions honestly.

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Standart: Parliament Deputy Chair Ivan Angelov said that the first measures of the “Radev” cabinet will focus on tackling rapidly rising prices and inflation.
He stated that Progressive Bulgaria will take urgent steps to contain inflationary pressures and price increases, and confirmed the party will continue its planned reforms in the judiciary, including changes to the Supreme Judicial Council and the selection of a new Prosecutor General.
Angelov also pointed to a difficult fiscal situation, saying that the budget deficit as of March 31 was reportedly at a record high, which will force the new government to focus on crisis management rather than long-term development.
On concerns about rising public debt, he said an analysis is needed before drawing conclusions, adding that upcoming measures would be announced soon.

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Bulgarian National Radio: Anton Kutev of Progressive Bulgaria said from the parliamentary rostrum that the party would honour its commitments to Bulgarian citizens while respecting the law, signalling that the ruling formation would not support proposed legislation aimed at removing state security protection for [GERB leader] Boyko Borissov and [MRF leader] Delyan Peevski in its current form. 
Kutev said Parliament should not pass laws targeting specific individuals, arguing that decisions on assigning or removing protection should remain with the competent state authorities. 
As a symbolic move distancing the new majority from previous governments, he also announced that office 222A in Parliament — formerly used by Peevski and later turned into a “Museum of the Coalition” in the previous legislature — would no longer belong to him. 
Parliament later rejected proposals to establish temporary inquiry committees into alleged discrepancies in Peevski’s declared assets, submitted by Democratic Bulgaria, and into the alleged influence of the “Capital” circle and publisher Ivo Prokopiev, proposed by Movement for Rights and Freedoms. The motions failed after 129 MPs from Progressive Bulgaria abstained.  

ECONOMY

Nikolay Valkanov, Executive Director of the Association for Modern Trade, said his organization would seek talks with Bulgaria’s new government over its planned anti-inflation measures, warning that the proposed approach risks repeating mistakes made in 2023.
Speaking on Bulgarian National Television, Valkanov criticized plans for tighter state control over pricing and supply-chain costs, arguing that similar measures under the caretaker government had failed and led to court-overturned fines worth BGN 2.5 million.
He said the focus should instead be on targeted support for vulnerable groups through vouchers and on long-term measures to boost domestic production, including investments in irrigation and agriculture. Valkanov also highlighted rising wages and electricity prices as key factors driving costs in the retail sector.
According to him, Bulgaria’s dependence on imports and its relatively small market contribute to higher food prices, while retail chains themselves should not be blamed for inflation.

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Trud: Bulgaria is among the EU countries where businesses are raising prices the most, with only Romania recording a higher increase, according to Eurostat data.
In March, industrial producer prices in Bulgaria were 7.5% higher compared with the same month last year, placing the country second in the EU. Romania ranked first with a 7.8% annual increase.
The rise in Bulgaria is significantly above the EU average of 2%. In six EU member states, producer prices fell over the year: Czechia, Estonia, Cyprus, Luxembourg, Austria and Slovakia. In Germany, producer prices remained unchanged compared with a year earlier.
In April, Bulgarian industrial producers reduced prices by 2.5% compared with the previous month, while most EU countries recorded increases.
HEALTH – EU
Duma: The European Parliament’s Public Health Committee has backed a proposal that significantly increases EU funding for health in the 2027–2034 budget period, raising it to around EUR 22.75 billion.
Bulgarian MEP Kristian Vigenin said Socialists and Democrats helped secure health as a priority in both funding and policy. Of the total, EUR 10.05 billion is directly allocated to health, including cancer prevention and emergency preparedness, while EUR 5.5 billion supports health-related competitiveness.
The plan also expands funding for prevention, mental health, inequality reduction, and access to care, and promotes a broader “Health in All Policies” approach. It calls on the European Commission to develop a long-term framework for EU health financing, potentially including a standalone health programme after 2027.

DAY OF VALOUR AND OF THE BULGARIAN ARMY

Mediapool: On May 6, Bulgaria marked St. George’s Day, the Day of Bravery and the Day of the Armed Forces. No military parade was held this year due to the extended budget, but a blessing of battle flags and military standards took place in Sofia.
The ceremony began at 10:00 a.m. in front of the Monument to the Unknown Soldier with a helicopter flyover carrying the national flag. The blessing was conducted by Bulgarian Patriarch Daniil. Twenty artillery salvos were fired during the national anthem.
Wreaths and flowers were laid in honour of Bulgarian soldiers who died for the country’s freedom. The ceremony concluded with a ceremonial march and flyovers by C-27J Spartan, Su-25, F-16 Block 70 and MiG-29 aircraft over Alexander Nevsky Square.
Caretaker Defence Minister Atanas Zapryanov said the parade was cancelled due to the lack of a regular budget, adding that the celebration was limited to the blessing ceremony. He expressed hope that next year conditions would allow for a full-scale parade.
Zapryanov highlighted progress in the modernisation of the Armed Forces, including new aircraft, ships and Stryker vehicles, calling the past year a foundation for real transformation.
He said defence spending in 2025 stands at 2.13% of GDP, or about BGN 4.5 billion, and should gradually increase in line with national planning up to 3.5% of GDP by 2035. He noted the importance of personnel retention and social incentives in the sector.
Commenting on security policy, Zapryanov said NATO is undergoing significant change due to reduced US presence in Europe and called for strengthening the European pillar of the Alliance. He also noted Bulgaria’s air defence capabilities, while acknowledging the need for allied support in missile defence.
He added that discussions on restoring conscription reflect the need for trained mobilisation reserves, but stressed that priority should be given to fully staffing the professional armed forces.
President Iliana Iotova received the honour guard and paid tribute at the Monument to the Unknown Soldier, delivering a speech on the occasion of the holiday. She later attended the ceremonial change of the guard and received youth guard units and volunteers at the Presidency.
Ceremonies were also held in the cities of Varna, Veliko Tarnovo, Pleven, Plovdiv and Stara Zagora, including blessings of battle flags and military rituals. The National Museum of Military History and the Naval Museum in Varna offered free admission and special exhibitions.
Memorial services were held at Bulgarian military sites abroad and in Bulgaria in honour of fallen servicemen.
According to the National Statistical Institute, around 200,000 people in Bulgaria celebrate their name day on St. George’s Day.

JUSTICE 

Capital: Lawyers Katina Boncheva and Mihail Ekimdzhiev describe the actions of the Bulgarian prosecution service against European Public Prosecutor Teodora Georgieva as “prosecutorial arbitrariness and institutional vendetta.” They have filed Georgieva’s complaint with the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) in Strasbourg.
The complaint is separate from proceedings before the Court of Justice of the European Union in Luxembourg, where Georgieva challenges actions of the European Public Prosecutor’s Office and her temporary suspension.
In the Strasbourg case, Georgieva alleges abuse of power and coordinated efforts by the Bulgarian prosecution service, including former acting Prosecutor General Borislav Sarafov, aimed at discrediting her. The lawyers link the escalation of actions against her to investigations related to the Chiren gas storage project and other high-profile corruption cases.
According to the complaint, Sarafov claimed in April 2024 that he had information Georgieva had taken bribes, although no pre-trial proceedings existed at the time. Such proceedings were later opened, but Georgieva has not been charged and says she was not informed for over a year.
The lawyers argue that Georgieva is effectively deprived of procedural rights as she is not formally an accused person and cannot challenge actions taken against her or seek compensation.
They further claim that Bulgarian law lacks adequate safeguards for “suspects,” contrary to EU requirements, and that legislative changes are being prepared.
Mihail Ekimdzhiev said the case reflects broader concerns over rule of law and possible misuse of prosecutorial powers, citing European Court of Human Rights standards on abuse of authority.
Georgieva links the pressure against her to investigations involving the expansion of the Chiren gas storage facility and related corruption allegations. The complaint also cites a series of leaks, administrative actions and disciplinary measures in 2024–2025 involving Bulgarian and European prosecutorial bodies.
The lawyers conclude that the actions constitute not a genuine criminal investigation but an institutional campaign aimed at discrediting Georgieva.

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NOVA TV: Bulgaria took part in INTERPOL’s global Operation Pangea XVIII against the illegal trade in pharmaceutical products and doping substances, alongside 90 countries and territories.
During the operation, Bulgarian authorities seized more than 15,000 packages of medicines, anabolic steroids and food supplements, with the largest quantities discovered along the border with Turkiye. Police and customs officials carried out inspections at border crossings, postal and courier shipments, and commercial sites, uncovering millions of improperly labelled tablets, ampoules and injectable products.
According to the Bulgarian Interior Ministry, the operation demonstrated coordinated international efforts to combat counterfeit and dangerous medicines distributed both physically and online. Worldwide, authorities launched 392 investigations, conducted 158 searches, shut down around 5,700 websites and social media channels, and seized illegal medicines worth an estimated USD 15.5 million.
Among the most commonly confiscated products were medicines for erectile dysfunction, sedatives, painkillers, antibiotics, smoking-cessation products, as well as increasingly popular weight-loss drugs such as GLP-1 medications, which are often counterfeited and sold online. Authorities also reported rising demand for steroids, peptides and “lifestyle” fitness supplements marketed to bypass regulations.

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE 

German-American biochemist Thomas Sudhof warned in an interview with bTV that modern technologies, artificial intelligence and constant digital distractions pose real risks to the human brain, although he believes people are capable of adapting. 

The Nobel laureate in Physiology or Medicine said his main concern is not technologies such as GPS or AI themselves, but the growing inability of people to concentrate because commercial interests constantly compete for their attention. According to him, continuous distractions can make the brain “lazy” and prevent deep thinking. 

Sudhof stressed the importance of maintaining real social interactions, saying communication with other people strengthens brain resilience. He cautioned that replacing human contact with AI chatbots could be harmful because such systems are designed to be endlessly supportive and non-critical, unlike genuine human relationships.

He also advised people to consciously disconnect from digital distractions for periods of time, set limits for themselves and their children, and pursue meaningful goals and challenges throughout life. According to Sudhof, the brain develops only when faced with challenges and purpose.