site.btaMedia Review: February 5

HEADLINES

Thursday’s print editions focus on rising household costs, legislative changes, and budgetary uncertainty. 24 Chasa reports that electricity bills have fuelled public tension, rising by around 30% due to cold weather and the holiday period. The newspaper also highlights proposed tougher penalties for pedophiles who abuse children under the age of 10, and notes that President Iliana Iotova is awaiting the adoption of the state budget by Parliament so it can be ready in the event of a caretaker prime minister. Duma also leads with a call by the Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) - United Left for Parliament to debate and adopt the 2026 state budget and quotes Iotova. Trud writes that changes are planned to slow the growth of the second pension pillar and reports on efforts to synchronize train schedules with bus services. Telegraph warns that train tickets may become more expensive at the last moment.

Print media on Thursday also feature several prominent interviews addressing political unity, public infrastructure, and consumer prices. 24 Chasa publishes an interview with BSP figure Kiril Dobrev, who says that the key issue for the party is not its leadership, but avoiding internal conflicts and divisions. Trud features Desislava Malinova, who says that preparations for commissioning the design of the National Children’s Hospital are complete. Telegraph interviews Tsvetan Tsekov, who comments on speculation in the cucumber market.

The leading analyses in print media on Thursday focus on Europe’s strategic direction, trade policy, and consumer issues. 24 Chasa examines how Europe is beginning to regroup and raises the question of where Bulgaria fits into these shifting geopolitical and economic alignments. Trud analyses why a potential trade deal with India would be a mistake for both Bulgaria and the European Union. Telegraph looks at consumer complaints in the energy sector, suggesting that filing appeals with electricity distributors often proves ineffective.

The morning programmes of the Bulgarian National Television (BNT), bTV, and Nova TV cover a variety of topics with the most prominent ones being the case of three bodies found near a burnt down lodge in the western Balkan Mountains, talks on the political situation in the country, and three cases of illegal camera recordings of nude women in beauty salons and a gynecologist’s office.

POLITICS

24 Chasa reports that President Iliana Iotova has called on Parliament to prepare a new state budget in advance so that whoever is appointed caretaker prime minister will be ready to submit it. Iotova raised the issue during consultations with parliamentary forces, even before naming the caretaker prime minister. She asked parties whether the 2026 draft budget already submitted by the Zhelyazkov cabinet should be adopted, or whether a caretaker government should prepare a new one. During the second round of consultations, Iotova also officially indicated that early parliamentary elections will be held on April 19.

Duma reports that BSP-United Left Floor Leader Dragomir Stoynev voiced concern over growing social insecurity following consultations with President Iotova on Wednesday. Stoynev said there are fears that one caretaker cabinet could be followed by another, while the approaching elections may push populism to the forefront and lead to changes to the budget. “We are ready for talks, but the country must not remain on an extended budget,” he stressed. According to Stoynev, there are no funds earmarked after July 1 for pension increases under the so-called Swiss rule. He added that trade unions are in strike readiness over teachers’ salaries, which were promised to reach 125% of the average wage. “Everyone expected a 10% increase, but it turned out to be 5%. Social tension is building, and as a socially responsible party we feel people’s discontent,” he said.

Iotova said urgent measures are needed to counter the price shock and support the most vulnerable groups. She stressed the need for an immediate decision on what type of budget Bulgaria requires - another extension, adoption of a budget that has passed through parliamentary committees and been submitted to the National Assembly, or a new draft prepared by a caretaker government. “This is the beginning of all beginnings,” Iotova is quoted as saying.

BNT reported comments by representatives of political parties and analysts on ways out of the current political crisis. Vazrazhdane MP Dimo Drenchev said that the best option for Bulgaria is the swift appointment of a caretaker government followed by early elections. Former e-government minister and MP of Continue the Change – Democratic Bulgaria (CC-DB) Bozhidar Bozhanov said the caretaker cabinet’s main task should be to guarantee the conduct of fair elections. Sociologists Evelina Slavkova and Parvan Simeonov also commented on possible solutions to the political crisis, focusing on the dynamics of public expectations and the role of upcoming institutional decisions.

THREE FOUND DEAD NEAR PETROHAN PASS

Three bodies have been found near a lodge near the Petrohan Pass in the Western Balkan Mountains, the Sofia Regional Directorate of the Interior Ministry told BTA on Monday, February 2. Police is looking for the owner of the lodge, acting Prosecutor General Borislav Sarafov told the press during a visit to the western village of Batanovtsi on Wednesday. He said that the authorities "do not rule out a possibility in which he is no longer living". All media outlets have covered the topic on Thursday.

Mediapool quotes a report by Nova TV which recalls an old interview with Ivaylo Kalushev, owner of the Petrohan mountain hut, who is being sought by the authorities in connection with the triple. Kalushev became publicly known in 2010, when he took part in the rescue of seven people, including three children, who were trapped for days in the Duhlata cave near the village of Bosnek. At the time, he was praised for his role in the operation. On February 2, 2026, rescue teams responding to a signal from Kalushev’s mother found the bodies of three men in a hard-to-reach area near the burned-down Petrohan hut. The victims, Ivaylo Ivanov, Plamen Statev and Decho Vasilev, had gunshot wounds, and three pistols were found at the scene. There were no eyewitnesses, though residents reported hearing shots the previous evening. Investigators are working on several versions, including premeditated murder, a ritual killing, or suicide. Commenting on the case on Nova TV, Offnews editor-in-chief Vladimir Yonchev said it is possible the killings were linked to erased recordings or witnesses to something that should not have been seen. Yonchev, who said he knew the victims personally and was familiar with Kalushev’s activities, described him as a well-known figure in speleology who promoted environmental protection and organized mountaineering courses. He rejected suggestions portraying Kalushev negatively, saying this amounted to reputational damage rather than investigation. According to Yonchev, all three victims were financially secure professionals and had previously spent time in Mexico exploring underwater caves. He added that Kalushev was a Buddhist but not part of a sect. Mediapool notes that an organisation founded by Kalushev - the National Agency for Control of Protected Areas - signed a framework cooperation agreement with the Environment Ministry in 2022, which was terminated in 2025.

Duma links the triple killing near the Petrohan mountain hut in early February 2026 to a political and institutional background dating back to 2022. The newspaper recalls that the case began not with a crime, but with a framework cooperation agreement signed in February 2022 between the Environment Ministry and a newly established NGO, the National Agency for Control of Protected Areas. The agreement covered activities in all Natura 2000 zones, around 35% of Bulgaria’s territory. Three of the NGO’s founders, Ivaylo Ivanov, Decho Vasilev and Plamen Statev, were later found shot dead near the burned-down Petrohan hut, which served as a base for the organization. According to Duma, the NGO exercised de facto control in parts of the Stara Planina mountain, including access restrictions, video surveillance, drones and barriers, despite lacking legal authority. The newspaper notes that several environment ministers across successive governments were aware of the organization’s activities and attempted to limit or terminate them, without success. The analysis highlights that the NGO operated in a grey zone between civic initiative and private security structure, with significant equipment and resources, while claiming to rely solely on private funding. Duma points out that Sofia Mayor Vassil Terziev had been publicly listed as a sponsor of the organization on its website before it was taken down, a fact traceable through internet archives. The newspaper concludes that the killings brought renewed attention to years of institutional inaction and raised unresolved questions about political responsibility, oversight, financing and the legitimacy granted to a private organization operating in protected territories.

Telegraph quotes an interview with the mother of Ivaylo Kalushev, who describes the situation as “a gesture of revulsion toward everything that is happening in Bulgaria,” commenting on the developments surrounding the case.

Trud reports that there Is Such a People (TISP) leader Slavi Trifonov described the killings near the Petrohan mountain hut as a “mafia-style murder” and an “execution.” In a video posted on his TikTok profile, Trifonov said that the manner in which the victims were killed and found resembles methods used by organized crime. According to him, the tragedy points to something more serious that has yet to be uncovered. Trifonov stressed that Bulgarian judicial authorities and investigative bodies must establish exactly what happened, but added that at first glance the case appears to involve the execution-style killing of young people.

Commenting on the Petrohan case on BNT, Tihomir Bezlov from the Centre for the Study of Democracy said the incident has once again divided the public into groups generating conspiracy theories, people hostile toward the victims, and others who knew them and are defending them. According to Bezlov, developments over the past three days have created more uncertainty than clarity compared with the initial stage of the case. He stressed that the established facts point to a serious criminal offence involving three people killed with a firearm, as well as the arson of the mountain hut, which he described as an attempt to destroy evidence. Bezlov added that the text message circulated publicly suggests a psychological disturbance on the part of the person who sent it.

CASES OF LEAKED INTIMATE IMAGES FROM SALONS AND MEDICAL PRACTICES

Dnevnik reports that cases of illegally recorded naked clients filmed with cameras in laser hair removal studios are increasing and are no longer confined to Burgas, with new cases reported in Kazanlak and Sofia. In Kazanlak, the case concerns a cosmetic salon whose female clients’ nude images, recorded in 2023, were reported by Nova TV to be circulating on pornographic websites. The number of affected women and the way the footage was leaked have not been established, and authorities have not announced what actions have been taken. The salon owner, who lives in Plovdiv, denied placing cameras or recording devices in the rooms where procedures are performed. In Sofia, viewers of Nova TV reported that footage from gynaecological examinations of women was being shared online. The Health Ministry later said it had inspected the medical office, found a camera and referred the case to the prosecution. The doctor said the camera was not hidden and that he was unaware of any leak, adding that it was set to record expensive equipment outside working hours, after 8 pm. The publication says videos from Burgas cosmetic studios were distributed for years on more than ten pornographic websites and in closed Telegram groups, with minors also among those filmed, including a nine-year-old girl, whose mother confirmed the case to Nova TV. One victim described the cameras as almost invisible and matching the walls, positioned above the door, and said the footage was commented on in a humiliating manner online. The Burgas prosecution opened two pre-trial proceedings on February 1 and 2 for the creation and distribution of pornographic materials and said it would seek assistance from Interpol and the FBI to locate and block foreign websites. Prosecutors later said access to hundreds of videos had been blocked. It remains unclear who had access to the recordings, whether the cases are linked, and whether an organised group is involved. No arrests have been reported.

The topic was commented on in the morning programmes of all three main TV broadcasters.

ECONOMY

Nova TV reports growing public concern over unusually high electricity bills, with consumers from different parts of the country suspecting software errors and incorrect billing. While the Energy Minister and the Energy and Water Regulatory Commission (EWRC) have promised inspections of reporting periods and metering devices, affected users are questioning the accuracy of software systems and calculation methods. A resident of Haskovo said his electricity bill for the period September–December more than tripled, despite no change in consumption habits, expressing distrust in smart meters and refusing to pay a fee for meter verification by the electricity distributor. Another case from the village of Trastikovo near Burgas involves a household with a photovoltaic installation that received a significantly higher bill than in previous months, prompting suspicions of incorrect software coefficients being applied. EWRC member Tasko Ermenkov said that every complaint will be reviewed individually, explaining that meters measure energy quantities, while conversion into monetary amounts is done through centralized software systems. He ruled out any impact from the transition to the euro on energy measurement, but acknowledged that technical errors in calculations are possible. The regulator will check compliance with billing periods and the accuracy of applied formulas. Lawyer Martin Kostov said consumers should first file complaints with the electricity distribution company, then turn to the EWRC if necessary. He stressed that electricity prices are regulated and have not been increased since July 1, 2025, adding that paid bills can still be contested and overcharged amounts refunded if irregularities are established.

Bulgaria faces a deficit of base energy capacity, former deputy energy minister Elenko Bozhkov said on bTV, commenting on the recent rise in electricity bills. He noted that the reasons for higher bills may be multiple and should be established through inspections by the Energy Ministry and the Energy and Water Regulatory Commission (EWRC). According to Bozhkov, checks should compare individual consumption in recent months such as December and January with earlier periods, as well as with the same period last year. He added that changes in average monthly temperatures and the method of meter reading must also be examined, stressing that accurate assessment of these factors is essential.

FOREIGN AFFAIRS

Trud argues that the EU–India free trade agreement signed on January 27, 2026 poses more risks than benefits for Bulgaria and the EU. The analysis warns that provisions easing labour mobility, particularly in the IT sector, could undermine Bulgaria’s competitiveness by exposing it to lower-cost competition from India. According to the article, the deal may also discourage investment in automation and advanced technologies, deepening Europe’s digital lag. Trud questions the economic justification of the agreement, noting that the European Commission’s projected export gains equal just 0.1% of EU GDP, while potential losses would fall mainly on Eastern European countries. The newspaper calls on EU institutions not to ratify the deal in its current form.