site.btabTV Shake-Up Sparks Protest Over Morning Show Hosts Tsantsarova, Yochev
Protesters gathered outside the bTV building in solidarity with bTV presenters Maria Tsantsarova and Zlatimir Yochev on Friday.
The demonstration was organized by the Association of European Journalists in Bulgaria (AEJ-Bulgaria) under the slogan “This is the last straw; we’ve had enough.”
The rally followed information circulated earlier on Friday that Tsantsarova, and likely her colleague Yochev, had been removed as hosts of the television station’s morning programme.
Tsantsarova has been the target of political attacks for years, and AEJ-Bulgaria has repeatedly defended her. For months, tabloid media have been running a campaign against her, including by spreading claims that she would be taken off air. We are concerned about the risk of yet another purge of critical voices from Bulgaria’s national airwaves, said AEJ in a statement published earlier on Friday.
AEJ urged bTV’s management to take a reasonable decision that does not run counter to the public interest and legislation protecting freedom of speech.
"We also remind that Bulgaria must fulfil its obligations under the European Media Freedom Act, which protects media outlets, public and private alike, from political interference. Unfortunately, what is happening with Maria creates precisely that impression: yet another heavy-handed act of political pressure against independent journalism in Bulgaria. We call on colleagues in bTV’s newsroom and across the media sector, as well as on Bulgarian citizens who care about the country’s democratic processes, to join us and show solidarity with the hosts," AEJ added.
In late September 2025, an international fact-finding mission by press-freedom organizations visited Sofia and concluded that Bulgaria remains among the EU countries with the most serious media-freedom deficits. Speaking at a news conference at the BTA National Press Club, AEJ-Bulgaria’s Irina Nedeva said journalists were increasingly being denied interviews and answers to critical questions, and were facing delays and hostility when seeking information. BTA has also reported that Bulgaria fell from 59th to 70th place in the Reporters Without Borders media-freedom index, with the RSF assessment pointing to persistent intimidation of journalists, risks to editorial independence in both public and private media, and pressure through SLAPP cases.
/TM/
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