site.btaMedia Review: March 2

Media coverage of the US and Israeli air strikes on Iran has focused on three key issues: the scope of the Middle East conflict, its potential consequences for energy markets, and the situation of Bulgarians stranded in Iran and the wider region.

AUTHORITIES' RESPONSE

Interviewed by bTV on Sunday evening, Foreign Minister Nadezhda Neynsky said warned that the key risk for Bulgaria following the strikes on Iran comes from possible chaos after Ali Khamenei, regional escalation and refugee flows. Regarding stranded nationals, Neynsky said that ensuring the safety of Bulgarians in the Middle East is the Foreign Ministry's top priority. With regional airspace closed, evacuation options are limited, but Bulgaria is ready to deploy aircraft as soon as an opportunity opens. Asked about the presence of US military aircraft in Sofia, which has raised public concerns, Neynsky said they are present solely for pre-planned training activities under a diplomatic note and have no role in the operation against Iran. She stressed that Bulgaria is not involved in the military action and that any change in the aircrafts' role would require parliamentary approval.

A banner headline in Chasa says the number one goal is to bring back Bulgarians currently caught in "the Middle East fire". Four inside pages are devoted to the conflict and its origins.

Tourism Minister Irena Georgieva told the Bulgarian National Radio (BNR) on Sunday the largest number of stranded Bulgarian tourists - more than 1,000 - are in Dubai, while between 1,200 and 1,250 Bulgarians are in countries affected by the Middle East conflict. The Tourism Ministry is in constant contact with tour operators.

Mediapool.bg, Trud and other dailies quoteD Facebook posts by Nickolay Mladenov, the Board of Peace's High Representative for Gaza, saying that the Department of Culture and Tourism of Abu Dhabi has instructed all hotels there to grant stranded tourists a free extension of their stay following airspace closures, with all additional accommodation costs fully covered by the authority. On Monday, the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) issued an official directive to all hotels that they must allow stranded tourists to extend their stay under the same conditions as the original booking. If they cannot cover the cost of the extension, the hotel notifies DET and the authorities will step in.

COMMENTARIES, ANALYSIS

Diplomat Miroslav Zafirov, a Middle East expert, commented on BNR that looking at the main figures in the military campaign, the war is likely to continue for a long time. "I see the outlines of a growing conflict. Iran had a chance to take a different path, but the calculation there was wrong," he said. The entire region, from Iran to Cyprus, is affected in some way and is part of the conflict. As of Monday morning, Lebanon has also become involved through Hezbollah.

In a bTV interview, Nikolay Galabov, President of the Federation of Zionists in Bulgaria, commented that the high-tech militaries of Israel and the US have a decisive advantage, while Iranian forces were unprepared for such precise strikes. Resistance in Iranian airspace is virtually nonexistent: "Air defences have been eliminated: you can see Israeli aircraft flying freely over Iran." In his view, this type of superiority "predetermines the outcome of the war". Galabov also described Iran's attacks on nine neighbouring countries as a strategic mistake. These countries are unlikely to respond with direct counterstrikes: they will defend themselves but leave the war in the hands of America and Israel.

***

Regarding the likely outcome for Iran, Arab studies expert Prof. Vladimir Chukov told BNT the Iranians are betting on a longer, exhausting war, which Trump would not want to engage in. After the military actions, the regime in Iran will not be the same as under Ali Khamenei. According to Chukov, a Venezuela-style solution is likely, with someone from within the regime "playing the role of Delcy Rodriguez".

Analyst Martin Tabakov noted on Nova TV that a regime change in Iran cannot come from air strikes alone and requires internal dynamics. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has called openly for regime change, while Trump has hinted at it but would likely end the war quickly to avoid a prolonged conflict with casualties.

In Trud, Viktor Blaskov comments that Ali Khamenei was not the only leader killed and the blow on Iran's command structure could seriously destabilize the state. Protesters must now prove whether they can truly challenge the Islamic regime, or whether Iran will slide into internal conflict - an outcome seen as most advantageous for Israel. The author urges caution, stressing that millions of Iranian men still strongly identify with the Islamic regime, and that Khamenei's death could harden their resolve.

In 24 Chasa, journalist Valery Naydenov says that for now, the Iranians are in no rush to seize the historic opportunity and take over their government, as Trump urged them in video remarks. Despite the death of the supreme leader, the power hierarchy remains intact, rockets continue to be launched at Israel and US bases. Some say people are celebrating the tyrant's death in Tehran, while others report demonstrations in support of the regime. Aside from the lack of a clear victory plan, another problem for Trump is that he went to war without first rallying the American people, says Naydenov. Previous presidents boosted patriotic enthusiasm before striking at rogue dictators, while Trump skipped this essential PR stage.

***

Looking at Bulgaria's response to the US and Israel strikes on Iran, political analyst Daniel Smilov said on BNT that if a political decision requiring broad consensus becomes necessary, the President will convene the Consultative Council on National Security, where political parties will also be invited. In his view, this is not necessary for now. After a February 28 meeting of the Security Council with the Council of Ministers, caretaker Prime Minister Andrey Gurov said there is no direct military threat to Bulgaria, based on information from the security services and the Ministry of Defence.

***

In a commentary headline "Trump Debunks Three Empires Myth", Borislav Tsekov says the strike against Iran demonstrated that, in a critical moment, the US can alter the strategic reality of an entire geopolitically key region within hours. The multipolar world operates under the undisputed global leadership of the United States. The US alone possesses the three key elements that make a powerful state a global hegemon: military strength, economic resources and a comprehensive sociocultural message that is recognized and accepted worldwide.

***

Experts comment on the expected rise in oil prices. 24 Chasa reports that petrol and diesel each rose by about EUR 0.01, with standard A95 fuel reaching EUR 1.26 per litre at most filling stations in Bulgaria on Sunday, up from a steady EUR 1.24-1.25 so far this year. The trend began midweek in late February, when oil prices started rising after Iran's Revolutionary Guard warned all tankers to avoid the Strait of Hormuz. Ruslan Stefanov, Director of the Economic Programme of the Center for the Study of Democracy, told bTV on Sunday that around 20% of globally traded oil passes daily through that strait, prompting expectations of a 5-20% rise in prices, depending on how the conflict evolves in the coming hours. For now, most traders expect the Middle East war to be short-lived. Despite a 20% increase since the start of the year, the global economy has proved resilient, suggesting no immediate risks for Europe or Bulgaria.

Interviewed by BNR, Svetoslav Benchev from the Bulgarian Petroleum and Gas Association noted a slight increase in petrol and diesel prices of around 1%, due to a roughly 7-8% rise in crude oil prices over the past month. At present, there are no supply problems at Lukoil's oil refinery in Bulgaria. Regarding national reserves, he said they are available both in Bulgaria and in the EU and everything is under control.

***

The news media have interviewed Bulgarians stranded or living in Doha, Dubai and other Middle East cities, who report that they are advised to shelter in place. Anna Karanova reported witnessing rockets over her home in Doha. After a lull on Sunday, she heard loud explosions on Monday morning and quoted information that the rockets aimed at Doha had been intercepted. According to 24 Chasa, Bulgarians in Dubai reportedly said the Bulgarian Embassy did not answer their calls. Bulgarians spoke with BNT and bTV from inside bomb shelters in Tel Aviv.

ECONOMY

In Trud, financial expert Dimitar Chobanov comments on the central bank's preliminary data on the end-2025 balance of payments, saying that when a large current-account deficit is coupled with a budget deficit, the economy becomes highly dependent on foreign capital markets. In 2025, the cash-based budget deficit was 3.1% of GDP. Expansionary public-sector income policies boosted consumption; without matching growth in domestic output, it pushed up imports and widened the current-account deficit to a worrying 6% of GDP, compared with just 1.4% of GDP in 2024, signalling a significant deterioration in macroeconomic balance. Goods exports fell by 3.2% in value in 2025 to EUR 42.3 billion. The decline reflects weaker demand from key EU partners - Germany, Italy and France - while imports rose by 6.2% to EUR 51.8 billion, driven by strong domestic demand. Still, imports of machinery and transport equipment rose by 7.7% between January and November, signalling higher investment activity. The problem, however, is that this import growth is not translating quickly enough into new export capacity.

JUSTICE

Trud has interviewed Elica Kalpachka, President of the Association of Prosecutors in Bulgaria (APB), who comments on recent statements by prosecutor Vladimir Nikolov. He recently accused acting Prosecutor General Borislav Sarafov of exerting pressure and sending threats against Nikolov before he was removed via disciplinary action by the Supreme Judicial Council. He also declared Sarafov to be unlawfully serving as prosecutor general. In the interview, Kalpachka said Nikolov's statement was prompted by his removal as district prosecutor of Pleven, a few months after he was dismissed as APB president. In an open letter to the APB, 15 prosecutors spoke in Nikolov's defence, which Kalpachka views as "a coordinated attempt to rehabilitate a compromised public image". She says that under Nikolov's leadership, the APB lacked genuine discussion and appeared to act in a compliant manner, issuing statements and reactions that seemed more like supportive defence of then prosecutor general Ivan Geshev, rather than showing independent professional judgment.

HEALTH

Trud reports that more than 430 Bulgarian doctors from various specialties are calling for a full ban on imitation dairy products containing trans fats. They argue that these lower-priced products, used in baked goods, salads and pizzas, pose clear health risks, including contributing to cardiovascular disease, metabolic syndrome and chronic inflammatory conditions.

SOCIETY

On the eve of Bulgaria's National Day, March 3, a Trend survey commissioned by 24 Chasa set out to capture the public sentiment. The results are telling: 83% of Bulgarian citizens primarily identify as Bulgarians. European, Balkan or citizen-of-the-world identities remain secondary. When people explain what makes Bulgarians a nation, traditions, history and language emerge as central, Trend's Evelina Slavkova says in 24 Chasa.

SPORT

24 Chasa has interviewed Bulgarian Olympic Committee President-elect Vesela Lecheva, who says Bulgaria's overall performance at the Winter Olympics was of the highest level. Bulgaria's two Olympic bronze medals are a significant achievement. What is more, many of Bulgaria's standout athletes are around or under 20 years old, meaning they have a real prospect of competing in future Winter Games. The very fact that Bulgaria had 20 quotas for the Winter Olympics means that 20 athletes perform at the highest level.