site.btaMedia Review: May 15

OVERVIEW

No single issue dominates Bulgarian media on Friday, but the amendments to the Competition Protection Act and Consumer Protection Act, initiated by the ruling Progressive Bulgaria party, aimed at curbing rising prices and tackling "unfair trade practices", debated by the National Assembly, emerges as the leading story.
 
ECONOMY

In an interview for Bulgarian National Radio’s morning programme, representatives of Bulgaria’s agricultural sector said rising food prices are not caused by farmers, but by excessive markups along the supply chain. Svetlana Ormanova, former deputy agriculture minister and adviser to the Fruit and Vegetable Chamber, said producers support the two proposed laws aimed at improving transparency and traceability in the food supply chain. According to her, the goal is to expose where price increases occur between producers and consumers. She said that farming costs have genuinely risen due to factors such as irrigation, labour shortages, and climate conditions. However, she argued that the biggest issue is the high retail markup added by intermediaries and retailers, which leaves consumers paying inflated prices. "The problem is the price for end consumers, because there is clearly an issue with markups throughout the supply chain," Ormanova said. She added the proposed laws are intended both to protect farmers from unfair commercial practices and to ensure consumers are not overcharged. She also suggested that a temporary cap on retail markups could help reduce prices more quickly, although such a cap is not currently included in the draft legislation. Simeon Karakolev, co-chair of the National Sheep and Goat Breeders Association, agreed that the pricing system is distorted. He described the situation as "asymmetrical", saying producers earn very little while retailers capture most of the profit margin. He pointed out that food prices in Bulgaria are often higher than in countries like Germany despite Bulgarians having much lower incomes. Karakolev argued that the state must establish clear rules for all participants in the supply chain. He said farmers have been absorbing most of the financial pressure for years, contributing to the decline in domestic agricultural production. Both experts said that the proposed laws alone will not solve the sector’s deeper structural problems. They called for broader reforms, including better irrigation and water access, labour support measures, stronger farmer cooperatives, shorter supply chains, improved financing, stricter oversight of unfair trade practices, greater transparency about product origin and pricing.

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In an interview on bTV’s morning programme, Continue the Change (CC) MP Bogdan Bogdanov criticized the government’s approach to rising food prices, calling the proposed measures mostly "cosmetic legislative changes" that may even hurt competition. He argued that authorities are unfairly shifting public anger toward large retail chains instead of addressing deeper structural problems in the food market. According to him, major retailers play an important economic role, contributing around 5% of Bulgaria’s GDP and employing about 60,000 people, while their profit margins remain relatively low, around 2.5% to 4%. Bogdanov highlighted the "Affordable for You" initiative launched in 2023, which encouraged retailers across the country to offer around 100 essential products at low prices. He said the program increased competition and helped keep food prices at reasonable market levels. He also pointed to serious inefficiencies in Bulgaria’s agricultural sector, including alleged abuse of subsidies through "virtual" livestock that do not actually exist. According to him, this costs the state tens of millions of euros annually and contributes to Bulgaria’s heavy dependence on imported food products. CC lost the election and needs to learn from the campaign and its political conduct, Bogdanov said. Speaking about CC’s relations with Democratic Bulgaria, he said that he does not accept that this was a "breakdown" in the partnership. "I cannot speak of any breakdown, of any conceptual split. We have areas of overlap with our colleagues, but we have always been different parties, with different priorities," the MP said. According to him, it remains to be seen whether the split into two parliamentary groups was a mistake.

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The new government has a political majority, but its initial steps to put a rein on prices through increased regulatory pressure raise serious questions, Capital Weekly writes in its front-page article, titled Business and the Radev Government: Trial, Trial... Instead of administrative measures and budgetary populism, the business community expects predictability, the rule of law, and fiscal discipline. The true test for the government remains the choice between market logic and state intervention, which risks stifling investment and fuelling inflation rather than curbing it. The government’s true anti-inflation policy lies not in price control, but in the budget. If public spending continues to grow automatically, if deficits are accepted as the norm, if new debt is used for current spending rather than for investment, any campaign against rising prices will be fruitless. The state cannot simultaneously pour more money into consumers’ pockets and then blame the market for rising prices. Not to mention that in many sectors, the state itself raises electricity, water, administrative fees, health and other services prices. Capital asked business owners and managers from various sectors, as well as leaders of business organizations, what specifically they expect from the new executive and legislative branches. Their message, the article says, is surprisingly similar, no matter how diverse their activities and fields of work may be. Industry expects stable regulations and access to workers. The technology sector does not want to be treated as an easy source of new budget revenue. Manufacturers want energy at competitive prices and less administrative arbitrariness. Trade wants the state to protect competition, not hinder or replace it. Construction wants the administration to meet its own deadlines. Energy: a market, networks, and reforms in state-owned giants. The capital market: more transparency, more listings, and less regulatory stifling.

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Trud daily runs an article titled: Shares in state-owned companies to be made available to the public. Bulgaria is considering selling minority stakes in profitable state-owned companies through the Bulgarian Stock Exchange, allowing ordinary citizens, investment firms, and pension funds to buy shares in state enterprises, the article said. The proposal was presented by financial watchdog chair Vasil Golemanski during a conference organized by the Financial Supervision Commission. According to Golemanski, the move could help finance the state budget deficit while also improving transparency and corporate governance in state-owned companies, since publicly traded firms are required to publish regular financial reports. The idea of partially privatizing state enterprises through the stock market has been discussed for years and is strongly supported by capital market participants, who believe it would increase trading activity and public interest in investing. Officials also discussed plans to offer special government bond issues directly to households. Under the proposal, citizens would be able to buy government securities without intermediary fees and later trade them on the stock exchange if they need liquidity before maturity. At the conference, Natalia Petrova, CEO of Concord Asset Management, said that only about 4% of Bulgarians currently invest in mutual funds. Participants agreed that improving financial literacy is essential for developing the country’s capital markets and encouraging broader household investment.

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Dnevnik.bg runs an article titled: A problem for 835,000 people: the budget is under pressure from all sides, even because of food vouchers. Hundreds of thousands of people could lose part of their income later this year, unless the government increases the budget limit for food vouchers in the upcoming state budget, the article said. Food vouchers are a common employee benefit in Bulgaria. Employers can provide them tax-free, meaning companies avoid paying taxes and social security contributions on the amounts, while employees effectively receive higher net income. Currently, about 835,000 workers, roughly one-third of all employees in the country, receive them. The problem is that every year the state budget sets a maximum total amount that can be distributed through vouchers nationwide. According to the Association of Food Voucher Operators, the current annual quota may run out before the end of 2026 because the number of recipients has increased significantly. If nothing changes, many workers could lose their vouchers during the final months of the year, exactly when household expenses are highest due to winter heating costs and the Christmas and New Year holidays. At present, the maximum monthly voucher amount per employee is EUR 102.26, the total national quota is EUR 818 million, around 35,000 more people are receiving vouchers this year compared to last year. Employers are not guaranteed access to the quota in advance, and any company meeting relatively simple legal requirements can start offering vouchers. Because participation has grown quickly, analysts fear the allocated funds may only cover part of the year. If the quota is exhausted, employers would have to replace the vouchers with regular cash payments if they want to maintain compensation levels. However, cash payments would trigger taxes and social security contributions, making them more expensive for businesses. As a result, many companies may simply stop providing the benefit. Tanya Obushtarova, Secretary-General of the Association of Food Voucher Operators told Dnevnik that employees have come to rely heavily on the program, even asking about vouchers during job interviews. The association argues the vouchers serve an important social function by helping households manage food costs. It is now seeking talks with the new finance minister to push for an increase in the budget allocation, even as Bulgaria faces pressure to keep its budget deficit below 3% of GDP.

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Mediapool.bg runs an article on major publishing houses in Bulgaria and the state of the book publishing industry with thousands of books and thousands of publishers on the market. There were about 100 publishing houses operating in the country until 1989, all of which were state-owned or affiliated with government agencies, today hundreds are registered every year in Sofia alone, the article said. Despite this trend, established private publishers remain the most recognizable and continue to set the tone in the market and earn readers’ trust with a diverse selection of titles. Major publishers strive to maintain their good reputation, live up to readers’ trust, and strike a balance between market success and quality literature. To attract readers whose interests are changing significantly, publishers rely on different genres and marketing strategies, follow trends, but also uphold their own principles. To understand how some of Bulgaria’s most recognizable publishers operate, Mediapool spoke with representatives from Ciela, Colibri, and Riva. All three publishers emerged in the early 1990s but have followed different paths of development. "Literary merit builds our reputation, while market potential ensures our ability to survive and grow. One cannot exist without the other, at least when a publishing house relies directly on book sales for its revenue. There are other options, such as titles subsidized by European programs," Ciela publishing house's Hristo Blazhev, deputy editor-in-chief, and Temz Arabadzhieva, marketing and PR director, said. "We do not compromise on quality or our traditions. That is why we are one of the few publishing houses in Bulgaria that continues to focus on high-quality literature and in-depth content that provokes thought and reaction. We wouldn’t publish a book that doesn’t meet our standards just because market expectations for it are high," Colibri publishing house’s head of communications, Anna Lazarova, told Mediapool. In addition to fiction, Riva has a strong presence in the field of textbooks and educational materials. "This is a very specific profile that sets the publishing house apart. Most publishers either publish books or textbooks and/or educational aids," the publishing house’s manager, Atanas Yonchev, told Mediapool.

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Telegraf daily’s front-page article says that Bulgaria plans to test its first domestically developed flying car this autumn at the former Ravnets Airport, according to Todor Ivandjikov, Chair of the Bulgarian Aviation Industry Association. The long-abandoned airport near Burgas could be transformed into a testing zone for urban air mobility, Ivandjikov said. The prototype flying car, being developed by members of the Bulgarian Aviation Industry Association, is expected to be ready for initial trials by October. "The vision is to introduce flying taxi services within the next one to two years," he said. Proposed routes include trips from Sofia Airport to downtown Sofia in 5–10 minutes, as well as connections between Sofia boroughs and nearby cities such as Pernik. In the Burgas region, tourists arriving by cruise ship could potentially fly to Sozopol in about five minutes or take sightseeing flights along the Black Sea coast. According to Ivandjikov, the vehicles are designed to carry four passengers and are intended for both business transport and tourism. He said that one of the biggest challenges will be finding operators, since the "drivers" will also need to be licensed pilots.

REGIONAL POLITICS

A major scandal has erupted in Varna, Segabg.com writes, over the cutting down of linden trees near a controversial construction site that many locals already associate with the city’s deteriorating urban environment. Years ago, a famous building on the site was demolished, and now a private company is finishing a new modern building. Just as construction neared completion, the nearby linden trees were officially declared "sick" and removed. Initially, three trees at the address were reported affected, but residents say four more trees in nearby streets were also cut down. Public outrage intensified after a local woman, Blagovesta Hristova, posted about the situation on social media. She confirmed for Sega that a municipal employee told her the trees caused allergies, though official documents later claimed the trees were dangerous. The scandal implicated Varna’s mayor, Blagomir Kotsev. At first, city officials focused attention on another issue: the replacement planting of magnolias, which the municipality claimed had not been officially approved. According to Kotsev, in March, the Odessos district administration requested the urgent removal of seven trees, claiming they were hazardous. A municipal expert later confirmed the trees were in poor condition. In April, a deputy mayor signed the removal order on Kotsev’s behalf. However, Kotsev pointed out something suspicious: nearly a month before the official cutting permit was issued, a district deputy mayor had already authorized the private property owner to plant replacement trees. Kotsev questioned how officials could approve replacements before the official decision to remove the originals had even been finalized. He also noted that Varna currently has dozens of reports about genuinely dangerous trees, making the urgent handling of these specific lindens seem questionable. He announced an internal disciplinary investigation into the district deputy mayor involved. Critics argue that Kotsev is trying to shift blame downward, because the process also involved senior officials from his own administration. The Odessos district administration is run by the Democrats for Strong Bulgaria party, allied with Kotsev’s Continue the Change. The regional prosecutor’s office opened an official investigation to determine whether crimes were committed and who is responsible.

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The future of the figures from the Monument to the Soviet Army has become a new source of division within the Sofia Municipal Council, with different political groups clashing over how the controversial monument should be handled. Nova TV’s morning programme interviewed Bonka Vasileva, deputy chair of the municipal council and Continue the Change – Democratic Bulgaria municipal councillor, and Bulgarian Socialist Party municipal councillor Nikolay Velchev. Vasileva said the goal is to give citizens a direct voice in determining the future of the space. She argued that past decisions regarding the monument have always been political, pointing out that there has been an official decision to remove the monument since 1993 and another from 2023 calling for its relocation to the Museum of Socialist Art. According to Vasileva, both the land and the monument’s figures should be transferred to a single owner in order to move the issue away from political disputes and toward a broader public discussion about the future of the Knyazheska Garden park and the monument itself. Velchev argued that the site is not simply a green public space but a protected cultural monument that requires preservation. He insisted that the priority should be conserving the monument and keeping it under state ownership. The monument’s sculptures are currently being stored by the regional administration in the village of Lozen, while discussions continue over their permanent future and possible relocation.

REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Bulgarian National Television’s morning programme interviewed Stefcho Stoynev, head of the Department of Hydrogeology and Engineering Geology at the University of Mining and Geology, on the topic of the recent landslide along the Smolyan–Pamporovo road. A combination of emergency measures and subsequent engineering stabilization will be required to contain the landslide, Stoynev said. He explained that the immediate priority is to implement emergency actions to prevent the landslide from expanding further, after which full-scale stabilization and reinforcement work can begin. According to the expert, projects of this scale fall under state responsibility due to the significant investment and technical resources required. Discussing the causes of the landslide, Stoynev said they are complex and include geological conditions, heavy rainfall, and groundwater activity, which he identified as the main trigger behind the slope failure. "Groundwater was the trigger that led to the activation of the landslide," he said. He also noted that human activity and the condition of the road infrastructure may have contributed to the problem. Various theories have been discussed, including the possible influence of a nearby dam, Stoynev believes the causes are more likely local in nature, linked to excessive soil saturation following heavy rain and snowmelt. He added that the area had not previously been classified as high-risk, which is why the rapid development of the landslide caught authorities by surprise. According to him, reconstruction of the road is unavoidable and could begin relatively soon, once the ongoing geological surveys and assessments are completed.

HEALTHCARE

24 Chasa daily carries an interview with Prof. Iva Hristova, Director of the National Centre for Infectious and Parasitic Diseases. The front-page of the newspaper quotes Hristova saying: "At least three serious infections transmitted by mice are found in Bulgaria after floods and in basements". In the interview, Hristova said Bulgaria’s top epidemiological concern at the moment is the measles outbreak, although the situation appears to be gradually improving, with weekly case numbers declining recently. Most infections are concentrated in under-vaccinated communities, and health authorities are working with mediators to increase immunization coverage. She warned that some cases may involve "fake vaccinations", after tests showed unusually high numbers of people lacking antibodies despite officially being vaccinated. Beyond measles, Hristova highlighted the current peak in tick activity and rising cases of Lyme disease, while also noting seasonal increases in respiratory and gastrointestinal viruses, though without unusual levels so far. She dismissed fears surrounding the recent hantavirus-related ship incident near Tenerife as exaggerated, explaining that the virus involved is a South American strain not circulating in Bulgaria. Bulgarian hantavirus cases remain rare and are caused by a different European strain with low mortality and no human-to-human transmission. Hristova also warned about growing risks from mosquitoes and sand flies due to climate change, including West Nile virus, Usutu virus, and the Toscana virus, which can cause meningitis and encephalitis. She stressed the importance of mosquito and insect control measures, especially targeting larvae early in the season.