site.btaSofia Planning Event-Rich Week for Eurovision 2027, Mayor Terziev Says

Approached for comment on Burgas getting selected over Sofia to host the Eurovision Song Contest in 2027, Sofia Mayor Vassil Terziev said that the most important thing is how Bulgaria presents itself as a country. "We should all take advantage of this incredible chance, which Dara gave us [by winning Eurovision 2026], and organize a state celebration in all cities with the necessary events," he commented, adding that an event-rich week is planned for Eurovision 2027 in Sofia.

He said further that next year, Bulgaria marks 20 years since its accession to the European Union, so there are "many good occasions to organize a strong week." 

Burgas' selection to host Eurovision 2027 was announced at a news conference of Bulgarian National Television (BNT) and the European Broadcasting Union in Sofia on Thursday. The selection process began in June with a total of four host bids. During the evaluation process, Varna (on the Black Sea) and Plovdiv (South Central Bulgaria) were eliminated, leaving Burgas (on the Black Sea) and Sofia in the running. 

Asked about the criteria on which Burgas was selected, Terziev commented that this is a question for the organizers. "We have no problem sharing our bid [with the public], but we are not authorized to comment - and it is difficult to do so - when we do not know how we were assessed based on any criteria. We have never seen Burgas’ bid," he added. In his words, the important thing is to accept that the selection has been made, because there are tight deadlines and many challenges, and Bulgaria as a country should do well and help Burgas. 

Commenting on the same topic, Sofia Municipal Council Chair Tsvetomir Petrov said that Sofia did not lose, because it meets every single criterion and is the best-prepared city. "If we look at the most important criteria - transport and connectivity, together with the airport, accommodation capacity and the venue, they are much bigger in Sofia," he told reporters.

He called on BNT and the selection team to ensure full transparency regarding the criteria and to explain in what ways Burgas was the better choice. He assured that Sofia Municipality would support Burgas in every way. According to him, it is important to clarify the criteria used to select Burgas. “As a team at the municipality, we met the requirements perfectly; our proposal is nearly 200 pages long,” Petrov added.

Earlier on Friday, BNT Director General Milena Milotinova explained in a televised interview that Burgas was selected to host Eurovision 2027 because it had the strongest overall proposition, combining the appropriate venue, commitment from the municipality, good transport connectivity, infrastructure and accommodation capacity, as well as a clear vision for transforming the entire city and region into part of the Eurovision experience.