site.btaMedia Review: July 27

As Bulgaria prepares for the autumn presidential election, Monday's media attention focuses on President Iliana Iotova's decision to seek a full term, Bulgaria's security position amid the US-Iran conflict, and the country's defence commitments to NATO. Other key stories include possible US efforts to revive Ukraine peace talks, tourism in Greece, global investment and AI, climate risks to NATO, EU recovery funding, the debate over military training for civilians, and protests by Bulgarian vegetable growers.

POLITICS

24 Chasa writes that President Iliana Iotova has declared her intention to run for a full presidential term, saying she is motivated by the support of citizens she meets in her daily life. She says an initiative committee will nominate her and that she will announce her vice-presidential candidate in the autumn. Socialist leader Krum Zarkov is among the first to voice support for her candidacy. GERB leader Boyko Borissov also describes Iotova as a strong and experienced candidate and says her candidacy has united the left. He adds that he expects Progressive Bulgaria to support her.

The daily notes that potential challengers remain cautious. Fromer caretaker prime minister Andrey Gurov, whose name has been circulated as a possible candidate for president, says the decision is too important to be taken hastily, while former deputy prime minister Daniel Valchev says he would consider running only as a civic candidate. Former Interior Ministry chief secretary Georgi Kandev, mentioned as a possible running mate for Gurov, also says he is considering entering the race.

Sega.bg also covers the presidential race, reporting that Defence Minister Dimitar Stoyanov personally supports Iotova, although Progressive Bulgaria has yet to take a collective decision. Stoyanov says he has worked with her for nine years and considers her an "excellent representative and excellent politician."

SECURITY AND INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

Sega.bg writes that Defence Minister Dimitar Stoyanov says Bulgaria would invoke NATO's Article 5 if Iran attacked the country. He says he does not expect such a scenario and points to NATO missile-defence capabilities and allied forces in neighbouring Turkiye and the Mediterranean. Stoyanov says the deployment of US aircraft at Bezmer Air Base carries risks but that adequate measures have been taken to protect the country.

bTV reports that former defence minister Todor Tagarev considers the temporary deployment of up to eight US tanker aircraft at Bezmer Air Base the right decision, given the United States' role as Bulgaria's strategic ally. He says Bulgaria should respond when its allies need access to its infrastructure and argues that Bezmer is more suitable for the mission than Sofia Airport because of the latter's heavy traffic and urban location.

Tagarev says Bulgaria does not have its own missile-defence system but is protected through NATO's integrated air and missile-defence system. He says any terrorist threat should be addressed through close coordination between Bulgarian services and allies, adding that he has no information about specific threats. He also points to US support for Bulgaria's cyber-defence capabilities as an example of the benefits of bilateral security cooperation.

bTV also reports Defence Minister Stoyanov's defence of the US military aircraft’s deployment, saying the decision had been difficult because of public concerns. He criticizes the opposition for avoiding a parliamentary debate and recalls that the agreement allowing the joint use of Bulgarian military facilities was signed in 2006 and extended indefinitely in 2016. He says the US aircraft would provide logistical support rather than conduct offensive operations from Bulgarian territory.

NOVA highlights international coverage of the decision, reporting that US President Donald Trump shared a Newsmax article on Truth Social and thanked Prime Minister Rumen Radev for the decision. According to the report, the Bulgarian parliament approved the temporary deployment of up to eight KC-135 tanker aircraft, around 250 US personnel and supporting equipment at Bezmer from July 24 to October 1.

NOVA notes that the Newsmax report presents the decision as evidence of strengthening military and strategic ties between Sofia and Washington and as support for the Trump administration's Middle East strategy. The Bulgarian government is quoted as saying that offensive operations in the Middle East will not be conducted from Bulgarian territory and that the aircraft will be used for logistical purposes. Defence Minister Stoyanov says no offensive weapons will be stationed at the base and that Bulgaria has received guarantees intended to minimise risks to national security.

The report also notes warnings from Iran that countries allowing US military aircraft to operate from their territory could be considered accomplices to US "aggression and war crimes". Local authorities and residents near Bezmer are reported to have expressed concerns that the base could become a potential target if the conflict escalates. Newsmax frames the Bulgarian decision as part of a broader strengthening of security ties between Washington and NATO's eastern flank, while highlighting differences within Europe over US policy towards Iran.

Mediapool.bg writes that the United States is preparing new proposals aimed at ending the war in Ukraine, with a possible halt to mutual air strikes among the ideas reportedly discussed with Kyiv. The report comes ahead of President Volodymyr Zelensky's expected meeting with US President Donald Trump. It notes that Moscow has previously rejected a ceasefire proposal and that Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has declined to comment on the reported initiative, questioning its credibility.

The media outlet adds that Bloomberg sources close to the Kremlin say Russian President Vladimir Putin remains unwilling to negotiate without territorial concessions. Recent comments by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio are also cited as evidence that proposals discussed in earlier US-Russian contacts have failed to produce progress.

ECONOMY

Dnevnik writes that Greece recorded a significant increase in Bulgarian visitors in 2025. Almost 600,000 trips by Bulgarian citizens involved an overnight stay, up 8.4% from 2024, while overnight stays by Bulgarians increased by 11.5% to more than 2.55 million. The Greek region of Central Macedonia, a traditional destination for Bulgarian tourists and property owners, recorded growth of more than 11% in both foreign arrivals and overnight stays.

The daily notes that fewer than one in four trips by Bulgarians to Greece involved an overnight stay in a hotel or accommodation rented through platforms such as Airbnb, indicating that the total number of Bulgarian visits to the country is considerably higher.

Trud writes that Sunny Beach is Europe's second-cheapest family holiday destination, according to a ranking by the British Post Office. The Algarve in Portugal takes first place. The comparison covers the prices of 10 tourist goods and services, including meals, drinks, coffee, sunscreen and insect repellent, but excludes accommodation and airfares.

Capital writes that the global economy is seeing an unprecedented concentration of capital in mega-deals, AI investments and large-scale infrastructure projects. It notes that the trend is being driven by strong corporate cash positions, the AI boom, political incentives and the growing belief among companies that greater scale provides protection in an increasingly uncertain business environment.

The publication adds that US technology companies are leading the investment wave, with major sums directed towards data centres and AI start-ups. It warns that the growing concentration of corporate power and rising debt levels could create risks for financial markets and the wider economy if a heavily indebted corporate giant were to fail.

EU FUNDS AND ECONOMIC REFORMS

Bulgarian National Television (BNT) reports that Bulgaria has managed to save a further EUR 127 million under the Just Transition Plan after cancelling a procurement procedure amid suspicions of corrupt practices. Deputy Prime Minister Atanas Pekanov says he will make every effort to secure the fifth payment under the Recovery and Resilience Plan, worth EUR 1.7 billion, with the deadline set for August 30.

Pekanov says ministries have made significant progress over the previous two months in completing projects and reforms. He says the reform of the Bulgarian Energy Holding and the water and sanitation sector has been renegotiated, but warns that problems remain. One of the concerns is the failure to appoint a fifth member of the anti-corruption commission, leaving the body without a full complement.

According to Pekanov, the government will begin negotiations with the European Commission, while he expects almost all measures to be completed. He says some energy-efficiency projects, including the renovation of schools and kindergartens, will not be completed on time. He stresses that the deadlines are set by EU regulation and apply to all member states.

DEFENCE AND SOCIETY

Bulgarian National Radio (BNR) examines whether Bulgaria should introduce forms of military training for civilians amid growing calls across Europe for greater military preparedness. The discussion is linked to the low level of staffing in the Bulgarian Armed Forces' voluntary reserve. According to the latest defence report, the voluntary reserve was only 18.6% staffed at the end of 2025, with 558 Bulgarian citizens serving out of a planned 3,000.

The report says the armed forces have identified the difficult international environment, medical requirements for older applicants, unattractive conditions and bureaucratic procedures as factors contributing to the shortage. The defence report recommends new approaches to filling the voluntary reserve, including a broad public debate on forms of military training for certain categories of Bulgarian citizens.

BNR notes that the issue has been raised repeatedly in recent years but has not produced a concrete solution. Defence Minister Dimitar Stoyanov has announced planned amendments to the Reserve Act, while ruling out a return to traditional compulsory military service for financial reasons and saying any future short-term service should have a different format.

The report places Bulgaria's debate in a broader European context. Lithuania, Sweden, Latvia and Croatia have restored conscription, while voluntary military-service models operate in countries including Romania, France, Belgium, Poland and Germany. Compulsory service remains in place in several other European countries. Greece has also launched a pilot programme allowing women to serve as volunteers under the same conditions as male conscripts.

BNR reports that public support for voluntary military or civil-defence service exists but that funding remains a major obstacle. According to a survey cited in the report, around 21% of Bulgarian adults would be willing to volunteer for the army, civil defence or civil protection in the event of war, rising to 25% among those aged 18 to 29.

The discussion includes proposals for a national guard and modular military training. The report concludes that Bulgaria's challenge is not only how to attract professional military personnel but also how to create an affordable and socially supported model for broader civilian preparedness.

CLIMATE AND SECURITY

Capital reports that extreme climate change is becoming a growing threat to NATO's military readiness and infrastructure. Heat can limit military operations, damage runways and complicate logistics, while climate-related disruptions to food and energy supplies can increase instability and security risks.

The analysis notes that NATO increasingly frames climate adaptation in terms of resilience and operational readiness, while Finland and Sweden are cited as examples of countries integrating food, energy and civil preparedness into national defence planning.

AGRICULTURE

Duma writes that vegetable growers briefly blocked the Ruse-Makaza road near the southern village of Konush in protest against low purchase prices and what they describe as unfair competition from cheap imports from third countries. Farmers say rising costs for fuel, fertilisers, pesticides and labour have made domestic production increasingly difficult to sustain.

The daily notes that the protest caused temporary traffic disruption on a major route to and from Greece. Farmers handed out cucumbers and peppers to waiting drivers as an apology for the inconvenience.