site.btaMedia Review: February 3

POLITICS

Trud writes that President Iliana Iotova begins consultations with parliamentary groups in the 51st National Assembly on appointing a caretaker PM and cabinet, starting at the President’s administration with GERB-UDF and Continue the Change-Democratic Bulgaria (CC-DB). It adds that constitutional law expert Plamen Kirov says the caretaker PM then submits a cabinet line-up and elections follow within two months.

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24 Chasa writes that the Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) is set to back Iotova in the November 2026 presidential election, though the issue stirs debate ahead of the party’s Saturday congress. It notes that BSP MP Atanas Atanasov voices support on Bulgarian National Radio (BNR), while MEP Christian Vigenin says it is too early to discuss a nominee but adds the party would back her if she runs.

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Dnevnik writes that Vazrazhdane’s draft amendments to the Election Code are moving on a fast-track timetable in the National Assembly, despite objections from Bulgarians abroad. The proposal, adopted at first reading with support from GERB-UDF and There Is Such a People (TISP), would cap polling stations in non-EU countries at 20 outside diplomatic missions, prompting organizers to warn of logistical disruption in large diaspora communities. Election volunteer Tyurkyan Ali in the United Kingdom argues that the cap would effectively strip thousands of voters of equal access to the ballot in the United Kingdom and the United States. “When we work for Bulgaria’s good reputation, we are wanted; when we want to exercise our right to vote, we are not,” Ali said. She calls the cap “a betrayal, a resounding slap in the face of Bulgarians outside the EU,” saying it would mean long queues and fewer voters in the United Kingdom, the United States and Turkiye.

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Dnevnik writes that Continue the Change-Democratic Bulgaria (CC-DB) plans to use its consultations at the President’s administration on appointing a caretaker PM to press for a change at the top of the prosecution. Co-Floor Leader Nadejda Iordanova says the caretaker justice minister should launch a procedure for a new acting Prosecutor General.

“We insist that the caretaker government and the caretaker minister of justice propose a new acting Prosecutor General,” Iordanova says. “Borislav Sarafov must leave the Prosecutor General’s office immediately,” she adds. Dnevnik reports that CC-DB also urges President Iliana Iotova to veto the Election Code changes capping non-EU polling stations at 20, which the coalition says curtail guaranteed equal voting rights.

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Nova TV reported that commentators on the broadcaster’s morning programme largely converged around Andrey Gurov as a possible caretaker PM, arguing he could calm public tensions and stands outside the influence of GERB leader Boyko Borissov and MRF Chair and MRF–New Beginning Floor Leader Delyan Peevski, while stressing the final decision rests with President Iliana Iotova. Political analyst Georgi Harizanov said expectations are growing that the president will turn to Gurov, but added: “Who [President] Iotova chooses to trust is something we’ll hear from her directly, and that’s exactly how it should be.” He also weighs Gurov against Dimitar Glavchev as the more experienced option.

Nova TV added that the discussion also focuses on the legal “menu of options” for appointing a caretaker PM, with sociologist Kolyo Kolev calling any attempt to look beyond it “strange” and saying: “The choice is limited and, in my view, all this is madness that is cemented by law and we must comply with it.” Nova TV noted that the same panel also debates former president Rumen Radev’s political positioning after a recent interview, including claims he courts eurosceptic, protest and opportunistic voters, while Harizanov said any firm conclusions depend on a government being formed after elections.

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Bulgarian National Radio (BNR) reported that political scientist Georgi Prodanov urged President Iliana Iotova to choose a woman as caretaker PM from the “menu of options”. “If I had to give advice to the President, I would suggest choosing a woman for caretaker PM. The three female candidates are good options,” Prodanov said, while describing Andrey Gurov as “vulnerable” and Dimitar Glavchev as “balanced”.

BNR added that Prodanov expected Iotova’s consultations at the President’s administration to include talks with GERB-UDF and CC-DB but warned the bigger risk lay in late election-rule changes, including proposals on machine scanners. “If proposals for machine scanners were voted through, that could blow up society and the electoral process,” he said. He also called the cap on polling stations abroad a “political order” carried out by Vazrazhdane, questioned CC-DB’s call, voiced by Nadejda Iordanova, for the caretaker justice minister to propose a new acting Prosecutor General, and said swing voters were likely to drift towards former president Rumen Radev as campaigns target core electorates.

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BNR reported that the Ministry of Justice launched a public consultation on a draft Transparency and Integrity in Governance Act, intended to regulate “representation of interests” and make lobbying more transparent. Political scientist Vanya Nusheva said the bill broadly mirrored European and EU-level approaches. “The overall assessment of the bill that has been tabled … allows us to say that this bill corresponds, in general, to the approach applied in a number of European countries, including in the field of EU institutions,” Nusheva said.

BNR added that Nusheva questioned the plan for the registry of interest representatives to be kept by the Bulgarian National Audit Office (BNAO), saying this would push it into an anti-corruption-prevention role without a clear set-up, and said key ambiguities remained over who must register and how the rules would be applied. “Our political elite has not demonstrated consistent will to adopt such legislation,” Nusheva said, adding the consultation runs until March 2.

LAW ENFORCEMENT

All dailies write that Outgoing Minister of Justice Georgi Georgiev orders a review and temporarily suspends Sofia Central Prison head Borislav Chorbanski after he seeks the conditional early release of inmate Evelin “Brendo” Banev without informing the General Directorate for Execution of Sentences. They report the Sofia City Court is to schedule a hearing, after Banev surrendered on June 24, 2024 and, in April 2025, received a consolidated ten-year-and-six-month sentence with time served deducted.

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Telegraph writes that the District Prosecutor’s Office in Burgas gives an emergency briefing after beauty salons are accused of secretly filming clients during aesthetic procedures. Prosecutor Shtelyan Dimitrov says dozens of women are victims and that at least one is under 18; police and the General Directorate for Combating Organized Crime search a salon in the Meden Rudnik district and a salon in central Burgas.

Telegraph notes that investigators probe whether the two salons are linked and who accessed the servers holding the footage. “There is information that makes it possible to assume a connection,” Dimitrov said, adding: “It seems ridiculous to me that the justification is that they are for the security of the premises.” Telegraph reports prosecutors seek help from partners including Interpol and the FBI to remove the material; no one is detained so far and the offence carries 3-6 years in prison and a fine of up to BGN 10,000.

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Bulgarian National Television (BNT) reported that the Prosecutor’s Office investigated the leak of videos from laser hair removal procedures at cosmetic salons in Burgas, as the case raised questions about what surveillance was permissible in such settings. Lawyer specializing in medical law Maria Petrova commented on the scandal on a BNT morning show.

Petrova said that “informed consent… is not simply a document that lets anyone do anything,” adding that the collection of sensitive personal data must be proportionate and transparent – covering who collects it, for what purpose, where it is stored, for how long, and whether an individual can request to be “forgotten.” She also said that if cameras are presented as a security measure, “they are supposed to be outside the premises” and clearly signposted.

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Dnevnik writes that the Ministry of Interior refuses to disclose details of the round-the-clock protection of Plamenka Dimitrova and Bilyana Yakova, key witnesses in the bribery and coercion case against Varna Mayor Blagomir Kotsev. It says the refusal, signed by acting director Lyuboslav Popov, classifies the information as an official and state secret and says it is not “public information”, citing risks to the witnesses and police; the ministry is headed by Outgoing Minister of Interior Daniel Mitov.

Dnevnik adds that lawyer Alexander Kashumov of the Access to Information Programme says the refusal is only partly justified: “The Interior Ministry has grounds to protect from access information through which someone could thwart the protection of a guarded person,” Kashumov said. He says it is unclear why the ministry will not at least disclose the costs and the responsible unit, adding that “in Bulgaria, tools and procedures that in democratic societies are used to protect citizens’ rights and fight crime are increasingly used for the opposite”. Dnevnik reports the ministry also points to the Prosecutor’s Office or the court as the competent authority for ordering immediate protection under the Criminal Procedure Code.

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Sega.bg writes that the civic movement BOEC claims the Ministry of Interior pays more than BGN 52 million in bonuses and awards in 2025, citing data released under freedom-of-information rules, amid tension after pay rises of more than 70% over the past two years.

Sega.bg notes that performance-based additional pay totals BGN 31,846,693 (excluding social security contributions) and awards BGN 20,172,041, including a BGN 400 Christmas payment per employee. It reports that extra payments to deputy ministers amount to BGN 3,190 for 2025 and that the ministry says it does not hold data on additional payments to the interior minister because these are handled by the Council of Ministers administration.

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bTV reported that three men were found dead at the Petrohan mountain hut, with sources identifying them as friends who lived there almost year-round. It added that investigators found gunshot wounds to the head and pistols near the bodies and suspected an attempt to set the privately managed building on fire.

bTV noted that the men were part of Bulgaria’s first ranger service, the National Protected Areas Control Agency (NPACA), which had a cooperation agreement with the Ministry of Environment and Water and ran a high-mountain training base in the Petrohan area. It reported that police worked through several scenarios on February 3, 2026, from murder to ritual suicide, ordered autopsies, questioned acquaintances, checked traffic data and reviewed CCTV footage, including footage from the Road Infrastructure Agency.

ECONOMY

24 Chasa writes that euro adoption lifts Bulgaria into a higher capital-markets tier, cutting external borrowing costs by removing currency risk and improving investor perceptions. It notes that Bulgarian government bond yields are set to converge with those in comparable eurozone states, narrowing the spread to “risk-free” German 10-year bonds and widening the buyer base to banks, pension funds and investment funds.

The paper adds that Moody’s and Standard & Poor’s ratings remain a key anchor for risk premia and says small shifts in perceived risk can drive large long-term interest costs on new issuance. It notes that cheaper financing can become a debt trap if borrowing rises without clear need or is used inefficiently, while European Commission and European Central Bank fiscal rules act as a constraint.

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Duma writes that Bulgarians buy more than BGN 1 billion of investment gold in 2025, citing precious-metals market data, as Bulgaria ranks third in Europe by purchase volume after Germany and Poland. It says 2025 is the strongest year on record for the domestic investment-gold market.

The outlet adds that purchases pass BGN 800 million by mid-year and accelerate in the last quarter, taking the total above BGN 1 billion by year-end. It notes analysts link the surge to inflation worries and demand for value-preserving assets, while the VAT exemption for investment gold supports retail demand.

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Duma reports that banks in Bulgaria post BGN 3.6 billion in profit in 2025, down BGN 67 million from the record 2024 result, citing Bulgarian National Bank data. It adds that almost BGN 2.4 billion goes to the three largest lenders.

Duma notes that DSK Bank leads with just over BGN 1 billion, followed by UniCredit Bulbank on BGN 903 million and UBB on BGN 490 million. It reports that interest income reaches BGN 5.64 billion (up BGN 72 million year-on-year) and net fee and commission income rises to BGN 1.78 billion from BGN 1.62 billion in 2024.

HEALTHCARE

Mediapool.bg writes that 77% of Bulgaria’s clinical pathways are priced below their “fair” cost, citing economist Arkadi Sharkov presenting research by the Expert Club for Economics and Politics at a Bulgarian Medical Association press conference. “77% of clinical pathways are undervalued,” Sharkov said, adding that 207 pathways need price rises to match actual costs and preserve access.

Mediapool notes that the researchers estimate an additional EUR 1.42 billion is needed by 2026 to close the gap, while macroeconomist Stoyan Panchev puts healthcare inflation at 14% for 2021–2025 and cites an OECD projection that the age-dependency ratio rises from 37% in 2024 to 66% in 2060. Bulgarian Medical Association Chair Nikolay Branzalov says “doctors continue to fulfil their professional duty” despite the deficit but adds that political instability makes a quick fix unlikely.

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Mediapool.bg writes that the paediatric surgery ward at St Anna Hospital in Varna stops work from March 1 after all doctors tender resignations and say they are moving to a private hospital in another Black Sea municipality. It notes that patients up to 18 needing paediatric surgery are to be redirected to other hospitals, raising concerns about emergency cover; unofficially, the doctors are believed to be heading to the new children’s hospital in Burgas.

Mediapool.bg adds that the ward was temporarily closed about a year ago because of staff shortages, despite recent renovation. Executive director Krasimir Petrov says January payouts were limited to base salaries because Health Ministry funding did not cover additional payments and that the hospital is owed about BGN 1.3 million by the National Health Insurance Fund. St Anna is “chronically underfunded,” Petrov says, adding emergency payments are “about BGN 46 per patient” and calling for a special status and different financing model.

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Bulgarian National Television (BNT) reported that, from March 1, children aged 0-18 in Varna needing emergency surgery were to be redirected to other hospitals after the entire paediatric surgery team at St Anna Hospital filed collective resignations. It added that the doctors had given notice and were expected to move to a private hospital in Burgas.

BNT said Regional Health Inspectorate director in Varna Tsonko Paunov confirmed the resignations but had not received formal reasons: “In telegraph style I was told that the department would temporarily suspend activity. I have no official information about the reasons,” Paunov said. It noted he pointed to pay as a likely factor, while parent Anelia Banusheva cited the team’s rapid response: “The surgery was performed within two hours. It saved [my son’s ] life,” Banusheva said.

SOCIETY

BNT reported that fake videos circulated on social media using AI-generated images and voices of morning show hosts to advertise various products. It added that the names of Bulgarian performers Bogdana Karadocheva and Vasil Naydenov were also used in the clips.

BNT said its programme hosts did not advertise products on the channel and called on viewers not to be misled and to alert the responsible authorities. It noted that such cases were handled by the cyber unit at the General Directorate for Combating Organized Crime.

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Nova TV reported that the National Network for Children held the fourth edition of its Lex Talks legal discussion forum, titled Between Rebellion and the Law: Teenagers in Bulgaria, focusing on when teenage aggression signalled a need for help rather than “just bad behaviour”. It said participants discussed gaps in prevention and support, amid a trend in which about 3,000 children entered the system over antisocial acts.

Nova TV journalist Milen Dimov argued that children and families needed sustained state-backed support and clearer policy direction, warning against piecemeal measures. “It turned out there was hope for change,” Dimov said. It added that National Network for Children programme director Maria Brestnichka urged continuity in reforms, saying: “Important reforms in the field of preventing violence among children must not be interrupted.”

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24 Chasa writes that the Sofia Municipal Council approves naming an unnamed street in Manastirski Livadi East after British author Terry Pratchett, following a proposal by Triaditsa District Mayor Dimitar Bozhilov.

It notes the municipality has three months to install street signs once the decision enters into force and adds the move is backed by municipal councillors Ivan Videlov and Veselin Kalanovski as part of Triaditsa’s practice of naming streets after artists and writers. 24 Chasa reports that Pratchett, best known for the Discworld series, sold 55 million books worldwide by December 2007 and died on March 12, 2015, after a long battle with Alzheimer’s disease.