site.btaMedia Review: June 23

POLITICS

In an interview aired on bTV’s morning programme, Bulgarian Foreign Minister Velislava Petrova said that Bulgaria is not vetoing the EU's new sanctions package against Russia, but is participating in the normal negotiation process alongside other EU member states. She stressed that the sanctions package is still under discussion and that Bulgaria is not the only country with reservations about certain measures. Petrova said Bulgaria supports sanctions that have a significant economic impact on Russia and could help push Moscow toward peace negotiations. However, Bulgaria opposes measures that would harm its own economy or energy security more than they would hurt Russia. This is one reason for its concerns about some proposals, including those affecting Russian-linked energy interests such as Lukoil. On military assistance to Ukraine, she explained that the Defence Ministry has concluded that the Bulgarian armed forces no longer have sufficient capacity to donate additional weapons from their own stockpiles. Nevertheless, she emphasized that Bulgaria remains committed to supporting Ukraine and seeks to contribute within its national capabilities while working toward broader European consensus. "Bulgaria has a position in which it clearly states what the national interest is and what its national capabilities and capacities are, but at the same time seeks to achieve a European consensus wherever possible," Petrova added. She also said that Bulgaria and Ukraine have discussed possible cooperation in drone technology and production. The idea, proposed by the Ukrainian side, could involve technology transfer and joint projects between state-owned and private companies, although technical-level discussions are still to come. Regarding relations with North Macedonia, Petrova expressed concern that anti-Bulgarian rhetoric and hate speech are becoming a growing trend. She said Bulgaria consistently condemns such behaviour and remains focused on protecting the rights of people with Bulgarian identity in North Macedonia. The minister also touched on the possibility of visa-free travel to the United States for Bulgarian citizens, presenting it as an ongoing objective of Bulgarian diplomacy.

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Sega journalist Lyudmil Iliev, political scientist Milen Zhelev and entrepreneur Tanya Skrinska debated the early performance of the new government led by Rumen Radev on Nova TV’s morning programme. They expressed a mix of cautious optimism and concern about the lack of a clear reform agenda. Iliev argued that the public still does not know what the government's priorities are. He said efforts to secure funding from the Recovery and Resilience Plan were something positive, but warned against reshaping institutions solely to meet short-term political goals. He said there is still no comprehensive strategy for delivering the promised reforms. Skrinska suggested that either the government is following a pre-planned strategy from the election campaign or some officials are still unaware of their responsibilities. She criticized the lack of transparency, saying "citizens should not be kept guessing" about the government's intentions. Zhelev said the government does have the political will to act but has already made significant mistakes. He described the handling of the case involving Ukrainian businessman Oleg Nevzorov as "the cabinet's first major blunder", arguing that "the government tried unsuccessfully to shift responsibility to prosecutors". The panel also discussed Bulgaria's position on sanctions against Russia. Iliev argued that public perception had been misleading, noting that the sanctions package was ultimately approved with Bulgarian support despite suggestions that the government was resisting it. Skrinska emphasized that the government has a rare opportunity to pursue major reforms. She argued that every ministry should have begun with a thorough review of its operations, plans for digitalization, and measures to improve efficiency. She also highlighted Bulgaria's large shadow economy, estimating that about 35% of economic activity remains outside the formal sector. Zhelev noted contradictions in government messaging, comparing some aspects of Radev's leadership style to that of Boyko Borissov. He pointed to mixed signals on public-sector staffing, where experts discussed administrative cuts while government leaders publicly ruled them out.

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Mediapool.bg runs an extensive interview with GERB MP and former finance minister Vladislav Goranov who speaks about the political processes in GERB, Borissov, Peevski, "the model", Progressive Bulgaria, the technology of political power and the oligarchs. Responding to a question whether nearly two months after the cabinet of Rumen Radev, which self-positioned itself as an alternative to the Borissov - Peevski model, took office, the model is actually being dismantled, or are we simply witnessing a change in the players, Goranov said that nothing depends on Borissov and Peevski anymore, so "the model", defined by the interviewer as a form of governance in which the country's leading politicians carry out functions and tasks that sometimes diverge from the public interest, driven by obscure economic interests, should be dismantled. "If you’re asking me whether there were moments when Peevski displayed self-confidence bordering on arrogance, the answer is "yes"," Goranov said. He added that he doesn't know if there is a universal formula for regulating the relationship between politicians and big business, but he doesn't see anything wrong with the fact that as finance minister he met with almost all of the successful businesspeople in the country. GERB is ready to support, without any reservations, Radev’s personnel decisions regarding the composition of the Supreme Judicial Council, Goranov said. Over the past 5 years, there have been 8 general elections, democracy works, and anyone in politics who doesn't do their job quickly disappears from the public agenda, Goranov added.

ECONOMY

In an interview for Bulgarian National Radio, economist and former vice chair of the Financial Supervision Commission Rumen Galabinov warned that Bulgaria's 2026 state budget should not be delayed so much that it overlaps with preparations for the 2027 budget, which could begin as early as October. He noted that the country is still operating under the framework of the 2025 budget and may only have a finalized 2026 budget for the last four or five months of the year. Galabinov said he does not expect major fiscal changes before the end of 2026, but he believes that discussions about more significant reforms will emerge as the 2027 budget is being prepared. These could include progressive income taxation, progressive property taxation, and reforms to the pension system. He suggested that Bulgaria's current 10% flat income tax could eventually be modified, for example by introducing a tax-free income threshold or a progressive tax structure, while keeping relatively low rates overall. He also argued that Bulgaria should reconsider its VAT system. Unlike most eurozone countries, Bulgaria generally applies the same VAT rate to all goods and services. Galabinov suggested adopting differentiated rates, with lower VAT on essentials such as food and medicines and higher rates on luxury goods, alcohol, and tobacco, similar to practices in many other European countries. According to him, such reforms would require political courage because tax changes are often unpopular, but they may become part of a broader reform agenda between 2027 and 2030.

NATIONAL SECURITY

In an interview for Dnevnik.bg, former regional head of the State Agency for National Security (SANS) in Varna Kiril Dimov said that Ukrainian businessman Oleg Nevzorov was to be expelled from Bulgaria in June 2025 because of suspected money laundering and concerns related to national security. According to Dimov, he personally prepared the report that led to the expulsion order, and SANS had gathered substantial information about the origin and movement of funds connected to Nevzorov. However, the details remain classified. He also said that his office never submitted any recommendation to revoke the expulsion order. The case became controversial because the expulsion was reversed only days after it was imposed, and the reasons for that reversal have never been publicly explained. This has fuelled speculation about high-level political protection, international influence, and intervention on Nevzorov's behalf. Dimov rejected claims that the Ukrainian Embassy influenced the case, but said DANS had found evidence that Nevzorov and his companies benefited from significant political protection. He also indicated that the investigation had been ongoing for many years and involved cooperation among multiple institutions. "I won't tell you how many years the work took," he said. "But gathering and using information - that doesn't happen in a year or two. It’s a long and serious undertaking, especially when you have to take action in a situation when Europe is applauding Ukraine, saying, "You’re the best," but you see other things and don’t know how everyone will react. It’s hard!" Dimov added. Asked whether there was a Russian connection, Dimov said SANS had no evidence of direct Russian ties to Nevzorov, though he stressed that such matters are often difficult to establish with certainty. Dimov expressed skepticism that any declassified parliamentary report will reveal the real reasons why the expulsion order was canceled. He argued that the original grounds for expulsion could not realistically have changed within the roughly ten days between the order and its reversal. He criticized political parties for using the case for their own purposes and suggested that many actors had, in one way or another, participated in obscuring the truth about what happened. "Don't trust politicians or what they say about this case, because I can see that every political party is distorting the truth for its own benefit. Unfortunately, they’ve all gotten so entangled in it that each of them has participated in some way in the cover-up, either personally or as a party," Dimov told Dnevnik.

AUDIT AND ROAD SAFETY

Trud daily’s front-page article says that a report by Bulgaria's National Audit Office found that more than BGN 500 million collected from traffic-camera fines over the past 15 years has largely not been used to improve road safety, despite being earmarked for that purpose through the Road Safety Fund. By June 2025, the fund had accumulated BGN 523.4 million, while Bulgaria still had the highest road-fatality rate in the EU, with 74 deaths per million inhabitants, the report said. During 2021–2025, only BGN 125 million was used, and much of that was not spent directly on road-safety improvements. Expenditures included speed cameras, police vehicles, alcohol and drug testing equipment, and other police equipment. Some funds were spent on items with little or no connection to road safety, such as building repairs, air conditioners, office supplies, uniforms, seminars, and even a new police administration building. The audit found that the Interior Ministry failed to conduct adequate analysis of accident causes or infrastructure problems. Successful infrastructure measures, such as installing road separators in the Kresna Gorge, where fatalities reportedly dropped to zero, were highlighted as examples of more effective interventions. The report also concluded that increasing fines and issuing more tickets has not produced a lasting improvement in driver behaviour. Traffic violations, accidents, injuries, and deaths have not declined significantly despite a sharp increase in enforcement. More than half of electronic traffic tickets are delivered with substantial delays, reducing their deterrent effect. Inflation has eroded the value of the fund's unused money, and if current practices continue, the fund could accumulate more than BGN 873 million by 2028 without being effectively deployed. The auditors issued 26 recommendations and warned that Bulgaria is unlikely to meet the EU target of reducing road deaths and serious injuries by 50% by 2030 unless major changes are made in how road-safety funds are managed and spent. In response, the Interior Ministry said that Interior Minister Ivan Demerdzhiev has ordered that future spending from the fund be limited to activities directly aimed at reducing road accidents, injuries, and fatalities.

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Starting a week ago, a total of 200 cameras, installed on 35 frames located along the entire Sofia ring road, have been monitoring traffic violations, according to an investigation conducted by 24 Chasa. The cameras detect red-light violations, driving over the speed limit, mobile phone use, failure to wear seat belts by drivers and passengers, as well as improper driving maneuvers. In addition, the cameras also detect vehicles without the mandatory insurance against civil liability. They have such high resolution that even nighttime images are clear and license plate numbers can be easily read, Traffic Police explained. The cameras are located along the Northern and Southern arcs, and their software operates using artificial intelligence. In the event of a violation, an electronic ticket will be issued to the vehicle’s owner. The software is so advanced that it will also monitor improper lane changes in sections where they are prohibited and at intersections. The software for the Sofia Directorate of Internal Affairs video surveillance system in downtown Sofia is also being updated. There are currently 14 camera frames, and plans are to install one more. Currently, these cameras detect red-light violations, but not automatically. Instead, cars that run a red light are marked within a red rectangle, a traffic officer must pause the video and manually transcribe the license plate number, the article says. From the beginning of 2026 through March, 685,000 were caught on camera driving over the speed limit nationwide, and nearly 18,000 were fined for failing to have the mandatory annual vehicle inspection. About 5,000 drivers were caught driving without civil liability insurance.

CONSUMERS

Telegraph daily’s front-page article reports that produce resellers at Sofia's largest open-air market, Zhenski Pazar, are increasingly using a trick known as the "cap" (kalpak) scam to sell spoiled fruits and vegetables to unsuspecting customers. Vendors display fresh-looking produce on top or at the front of a stall, while customers are given pre-filled or quickly packed bags and don’t check the contents. Once home, they discover that much of the produce is rotten or damaged. The problem has become more noticeable as fruit and vegetable prices have risen sharply, driving consumers to seek cheaper options. Market officials say many of the offenders are not actual farmers but middlemen who buy low-quality or rejected produce from wholesale markets. They sort it, discard the worst, and sell the rest at very low prices. Even if a large portion is thrown away, they can still make a profit. According to Margarita Aleksandrova, executive director of the Vazrazhdane Municipal Markets in Sofia, the market administration receives numerous complaints from customers but has limited legal authority to stop the practice. Some traders have had their rental agreements terminated, although they can often return under a different company name. Market managers encourage shoppers to report problems immediately, as security cameras can help verify complaints. They are also calling for stronger municipal regulations, including the power to impose fines on dishonest vendors. Officials argue that stricter oversight by the Bulgarian Food Safety Agency and tax authorities at wholesale markets would help reduce the problem at its source.

EDUCATION

Segabg.com runs an article on a new methodology for evaluating universities introduced by the National Agency for Evaluation and Accreditation. All completed accreditation results will be recalculated automatically under the new rules, the article says, and universities will not need to take any action. Existing scores can stay the same or increase, but they cannot decrease. The change follows a court decision that annulled the previous 2024 methodology, creating uncertainty about the validity of past and ongoing accreditation procedures. The new methodology will apply to programme accreditations during the 2024–2027 cycle and is intended to resolve this legal situation. This also raises questions about the effectiveness and quality of the broader 2020 reform, under which the programme accreditation of universities began to be conducted simultaneously for a given field of study across all universities offering it, rather than separately for each institution. The Council of Rectors called for the adoption of special validating legislation, which would provide a reasonable legal solution in such a complex situation. They criticize the newly introduced system, arguing that it does not ensure an objective assessment of teaching quality, favours larger institutions, and places too much emphasis on research performance rather than educational quality.

HEALTHCARE

In an interview on Bulgarian National Television’s morning programme, Associate Professor Alexander Katzarov, Head of the First Department of the Gastroenterology Clinic at the Military Medical Academy, warned that many Bulgarians still avoid preventive medical checkups, particularly for colorectal cancer, even though early screening can save lives and reduce the need for major surgery. Bulgaria is lagging behind other EU countries, which have had colorectal cancer screening programs for more than 30 years, he said. A national screening program is being developed, with routine screening expected to begin at age 45 rather than 50 because colorectal cancer is increasingly being diagnosed in younger people. The main screening tool is a fecal occult blood test and patients with positive results should undergo further evaluation, usually including a colonoscopy. According to Katzarov, the rise in cancer among younger people is likely linked to lifestyle factors such as unhealthy diets, smoking, alcohol consumption, and environmental influences. Early detection allows doctors to remove precancerous polyps or very early cancers using minimally invasive techniques, often avoiding major surgery, chemotherapy, and long-term disability. "This is, in fact, the fundamental and most valuable aspect of prevention: we can treat patients using minimally invasive methods, so that they are permanently able to work," Katzarov said. Modern medicine is increasingly focused on minimally invasive treatment and artificial intelligence is becoming an important tool in diagnosis and endoscopy.