site.btaMedia Review: March 17

POLITICS 

Capital: The Progressive Bulgaria coalition, associated with former president Rumen Radev, announced the leaders of its parliamentary candidate lists one day before the registration deadline for the upcoming elections, confirming expectations that many nominees would come from his former caretaker governments, as well as from academia, sports and expert circles, with notable links to the Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP).

Radev himself will head two lists - in Sofia’s 25th constituency in Sofia, where he will face GERB leader Boyko Borisov, and in Burgas. Eight former caretaker ministers are among the leading candidates across the country, including former caretaker prime minister Galab Donev and several ex-ministers from Radev-appointed governments.

The lists also feature former BSP figures, presidential advisers and security officials, alongside prominent public personalities such as Olympic karate champion Ivet Goranova, swimmer Petar Stoychev, circus artist Encho Keryazov and former national volleyball captain Vladimir Nikolov.

Overall, the candidate lineup signals reliance on figures connected to Radev’s presidential administrations and caretaker cabinets, combining political experience with well-known personalities from public life ahead of what polls suggest could be a highly competitive parliamentary vote.

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bTV: Political analysts and a journalist described the candidate lists of “Progressive Bulgaria”, linked to Rumen Radev, as surprising due to the strong presence of former officials, athletes and military figures. According to journalist Valeria Veleva, the inclusion of well-known athletes aims to attract public support, while military and sports figures are seen as disciplined personalities focused on achieving victory — qualities parties may seek in political candidates. However, she questioned whether such figures can become effective lawmakers.

Political scientist Georgi Prodanov said prominent candidates often serve as “bait” to mobilize voters, noting that similar strategies have been used in past Bulgarian political projects. Prof. Maria Pirgova argued that athletes could bring a different moral standard and stronger sense of patriotism to parliament, which she said is currently lacking.

Commentators also drew parallels with earlier political movements that promised “new morality” but failed to sustain public trust over time.

Regarding the expected electoral contest in Sofia’s 25th constituency, analysts said the outcome between Boyko Borissov and Rumen Radev remains uncertain, though preliminary polling suggests Borissov could lose.

Experts additionally criticized GERB’s decision to nominate former finance minister Vladislav Goranov as lead candidate in Varna, describing it as a politically risky move amid local tensions and protests.

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BSP leader Krum Zarkov said the BSP - United Left coalition is entering the upcoming parliamentary elections with confidence and aims to make Bulgaria a fairer state, during the registration of the party’s candidate list in Sofia’s 24th constituency.

He stated that the left-wing coalition would campaign for equal and guaranteed access to healthcare, education, social and administrative services, childcare and justice, adding that the alliance is open to cooperation with political parties, civic organizations, trade unions and socially engaged citizens.

Candidate lists of BSP–United Left were also registered in Sofia’s 23rd and 25th constituencies, led respectively by Gabriel Valkov and Atanas Atanasov. 

POLICE OPERATION – BURGAS – VOTE-BUYING

NOVA TV: A specialized police operation has been underway since the early hours of the day in Burgas. The operation targets vote-buying, petty crime and drug distribution, police told NOVA.

The operation began around 6:00 a.m. in the area covered by the First District Police Department, with a total of eight addresses searched.

Ten people have been detained. Two of them are suspected of involvement in vote-buying schemes. During searches of their homes, officers discovered notebooks and lists of names accompanied by specific monetary amounts. Significant sums of cash were also found. At this stage of the investigation, police declined to specify a particular “price per vote,” despite the seized records.

Police said the detainees are known to law enforcement authorities and had been investigated during previous elections. Four pre-trial proceedings have been initiated.

One person was also detained following the discovery of a laboratory for the production of synthetic drugs, while another was arrested for possession of stolen property.

During the operation, five additional case files related to drugs were opened. One individual has also been declared wanted nationwide.

Police actions are ongoing, and further information on the case is expected. 

WORLD

Mediapool: American actor Sean Penn, who received his third Oscar but did not attend the ceremony in California, was in Kyiv on a private visit to show support for Ukraine and met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, a senior Ukrainian official told AFP.

Zelenskyy thanked Penn publicly, describing him as a true friend of Ukraine who has supported the country since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022. The Oscar-winning actor, a prominent Hollywood supporter of Kyiv, has visited Ukraine several times and co-directed a 2023 documentary about Zelenskyy.

Penn has also advocated for Western support for Ukraine alongside musician Bono and previously gifted one of his Oscar statuettes to the Ukrainian President during a visit to Kyiv in November 2022.

Trud also covers the story. 

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European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the European Union will introduce targeted measures to ease the impact of rising energy prices linked to the war of  the United States and Israel against Iran, while avoiding major market interventions such as gas price caps.

In a letter to EU leaders ahead of a Brussels summit, she outlined plans including issuing additional carbon permits, increasing financial support for industry, easing rules for long-term low-carbon energy contracts, avoiding premature nuclear plant closures, and allowing more flexible state aid to help consumers and businesses. The proposals also call for reducing electricity taxes and improving incentives for efficient use of existing energy infrastructure.

The measures are intended to be temporary and focused, as the EU seeks to balance pressure from some governments for stronger intervention with efforts to preserve key climate policies. Von der Leyen said EU energy supplies remain secure but higher fossil fuel prices have already raised import costs by EUR 6 billion and pushed European gas prices up by more than 50%, highlighting Europe’s continued vulnerability to global energy market fluctuations.

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Bulgarian National Radio: The Irish today celebrate the country’s national holiday - St. Patrick’s Day. The celebration of Ireland’s patron saint has long extended beyond the country’s borders, with green-themed parades and festivals held in numerous countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Switzerland, Argentina, Canada, New Zealand, Australia, Japan and South Korea.

In her first St. Patrick’s Day message as president, Irish President Catherine Connolly warned that her country opposes wars. Her remarks come as Irish Prime Minister Micheal Martin is visiting the United States, where he is scheduled to meet Donald Trump.

In an interview with Sky News, Micheal Martin said he does not feel under additional pressure ahead of his meeting with Donald Trump following further anti-war comments by President Connolly. Earlier, she had criticized what she described as “deliberate violations of international law” during the conflict in the Middle East and stated that the UN Charter cannot be ignored.

Although the Irish president did not mention Trump, nor specifically refer to the United States or Israel, her remarks have been interpreted as a message ahead of Martin’s St. Patrick’s Day meeting with Trump. Before the meeting, Martin commented that “the world is in a very difficult situation, that nobody likes war, and Ireland as a country certainly does not like war.”

The Irish government has carefully avoided describing the US-Israeli military intervention in Iran as illegal. Some officials in Dublin are concerned that the Irish president’s views may be brought to Trump’s attention and interpreted as direct criticism of US foreign policy, potentially adding further uncertainty to a meeting in the Oval Office already seen as potentially unpredictable.

GREECE - BULGARIA - BUYERS 

Trud leads with a story about how Bulgarians are actively buying residential properties in northern Greece despite rising prices. The newspaper quotes real estate brokers, who claim that the highest demand is seen in the areas around Kavala and Chalkidiki. Interest covers a wide range of properties, from land plots suitable for caravans to apartments and maisonettes.

Property prices have increased sharply from about EUR 900 per square metre a few years ago to more than EUR 2,500 per square metre in most current deals, depending mainly on proximity to the sea, property type and the size of the settlement.

Due to its proximity to Bulgaria, some areas near Kavala now have predominantly Bulgarian owners, with locals saying the settlement of Ofrynio has effectively become “Bulgarian.” Wealthier buyers are particularly active in Chalkidiki, where Bulgarians have purchased some of the most expensive villas and are also acquiring smaller properties for short-term rentals, despite fines starting from EUR 5,000 for unregistered rental properties.

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Bulgarian National TV and Standart cover the news of Greeks travelling across the border to Bulgaria to fill up their petrol tanks with cheaper fuel.

Standart the Greek public broadcaster ERT as reporting how Greek residents from northern parts of the Serres regional unit near the Promachonas border crossing increasingly travel to Bulgaria to refuel due to significantly lower fuel prices.

Unleaded petrol averages about EUR 1.41 per litre in Bulgaria compared with around EUR 1.92 or more in Greece, while diesel costs roughly EUR 1.57 per litre in Bulgaria versus about EUR 1.85 in Greece. Despite additional expenses such as road tolls and Bulgarian vignette fees, many drivers still find refuelling across the border financially worthwhile.

Bulgarian petrol station employees say some Greek drivers attempt to fill small fuel containers, which may lead to fines if checked. At the same time, an opposite trend is emerging, with some Bulgarians travelling to Greece to buy food products, citing higher prices in Bulgaria following the introduction of the euro on January 1, 2026, ERT added.

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

Capital rewrites a story from The Economist about the first generation of college graduates who have had access to artificial intelligence throughout their college careers and how this might impact the future job market.

The graduating class of 2026 in the United States is described as the first “ChatGPT generation,” having completed university studies with widespread access to generative artificial intelligence tools. While AI may have helped students during their education, it is now reshaping the job market they are entering, creating competition from AI-powered systems capable of performing many white-collar tasks.

Analysts expect rapid adoption of AI in business, with forecasts suggesting that by the end of next year about 40% of enterprise software applications will include AI agents. Research already shows declining employment among young workers in AI-exposed fields such as software development and customer service, where hiring of entry-level staff has dropped significantly since 2022. Studies also indicate that AI adoption tends to benefit senior employees more than junior staff, as companies reduce hiring at lower levels rather than increasing layoffs.

Despite the risks, AI could also help new graduates who successfully enter the workforce boost productivity and catch up quickly with more experienced colleagues. Experts predict company structures may shift away from traditional hierarchies as AI changes staffing needs, potentially creating new opportunities for adaptable workers.

Graduates therefore face two main strategies: developing strong AI skills, likely to be in high demand, or pursuing careers in sectors less vulnerable to automation, such as manufacturing, where AI may even increase employment. Analysts warn, however, that companies relying too heavily on AI without recruiting young talent risk long-term leadership shortages.