site.btaMedia Review: July 15

Media outlets on Wednesday comment on Prime Minister Rumen Radev's statement to the press in Paris that "Bulgaria's place is not in the Coalition of the Willing". He said Bulgaria is not providing financial or military aid to Ukraine because "the solution to this conflict does not lie in prolonging it by military means, but in a strong diplomatic effort to put an end to the escalation". Media also highlight the extradition of Bulgarian Development Bank ex-CEO Stoyan Mavrodiev from Serbia.

RADEV'S STATEMENT

A debate on Nova TV highlighted deep divisions over Bulgaria's foreign policy stance after Prime Minister Radev decided not to attend a meeting of the Coalition of the Willing supporting Ukraine. While some participants viewed the decision as defending national interests and sovereignty, others warned that it could weaken Sofia's position among its NATO and EU allies.

The discussion featured sociologist Kancho Stoychev, military analyst Captain 1st Rank Vasil Danov, VMRO Organizational Secretary Aleksandar Sidi and journalist and former Bulgarian National Radio (BNR) Moscow correspondent Chavdar Stefanov. Stoychev and Sidi defended the Prime Minister's stance, arguing that Bulgaria should prioritize its own interests and that the country lacks the resources for additional military aid to Ukraine. Stoychev said reactions to the Prime Minister's decision showed strong public support for his position: "There has been an explosion of support for Prime Minister Radev's stance. At last, Bulgaria is returning to normality." He also said Bulgaria's interest was to call for an end to the war.

Sidi argued that security decisions should be made within NATO rather than through formats such as the Coalition of the Willing. He said that being the EU's poorest country, Bulgaria cannot provide additional military assistance to Ukraine. 

Danov took the opposite view, saying Bulgaria's refusal to participate sent the wrong signal to allies. He argued that supporting Ukraine was a matter of principle and that neutrality in wartime ultimately benefits the aggressor.

Stefanov questioned the logic behind Radev's statement, noting that Bulgaria is already part of NATO and the EU, both of which support Ukraine. He also pointed to positive reactions in Russian media and warned that Sofia risked further isolating itself from European partners. Ukrainian media are not talking about betrayal, but they openly say that Bulgaria continues to isolate itself on the issue of Ukraine, he said.

24 Chasa features a Facebook post by Deputy Prime Minister Ivo Hristov, who attended France's Bastille Day parade as part of Prime Minister Radev's delegation. Hristov said he was moved by the aesthetics of the French ceremony but was concerned by the military display, including armoured vehicles on the Champs-Elysees and Rafale fighter jets. He said the parade reinforced what he described as a "pre-war psychosis" in France and argued that Bulgaria had shown "common sense" among its allies by refusing to join the informal Coalition of the Willing, which he stressed should not be confused with the EU or NATO. Hristov added that there is no military solution to a war with a nuclear power.

Mediapool.bg cites parts of Foreign Minister Velislava Petrova's interview with Euronews, in which she said she is "not afraid" about showing up "empty-handed" for her visit to Kyiv on Wednesday. "I'm more thinking about how we can work more together to help Ukraine face the challenges in front of it, which are going to be even higher as the winter approaches," she said.

JUSTICE

Dnevnik.bg reports an analysis by the Institute for Market Economics (IME), which has launched an interactive map showing the workload of all courts across the country. Data of the Supreme Judicial Council, the prosecuting magistracy, the National Statistical Institute, the European Commission and other institutions show that Bulgaria has fewer court cases and the workload of its courts is declining, but cases are becoming increasingly expensive and the cost of justice for citizens is rising. Bulgaria has a large number of judges, prosecutors and investigators relative to its population, while the largest share of the judiciary's budget is spent on personnel. It also finds that the judiciary's budget increases automatically, without a clear link to objectives or performance, and that spending continues to rise despite the declining workload. IME also points to a steady increase in judges' recusals, warning that they may delay proceedings, raise costs, restrict access to justice and create a risk of forum shopping. It argues that the widespread use of secondments bypasses competitive appointment procedures and creates institutional dependence.

According to the analysis, the number of judges, prosecutors and investigators has risen to more than 62 per 100,000 people, while the average cost of resolving a court case has more than tripled over the past 12 years. Spending on justice per capita has increased sharply since 2018, even as judges' workloads have gradually declined and prosecutorial activity has steadily decreased over the same period.

Between 2015 and 2024, the judiciary's budget increased 2.6-fold, with salaries and remuneration accounting for 91% of expenditure. As a share of GDP, Bulgaria now spends more on its justice system than any other EU member state, the institute said.

Ivan Bregov, head of the Legal Programme at the IME, said on Nova TV that spending on the judicial process has increased since 2012. He said the number of people working in the system has remained largely unchanged, while the administration, including that of the Supreme Judicial Council, has grown. 

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Mediapool.bg reports that former Interior Ministry secretary general Georgi Kandev, who quit his post in June, has posted a statement on social media categorically rejecting allegations of corruption and abuse of office. His response came after a YouTube video by Stanislav Tsanov in which businessman Yulian "The Potato" Yankov, who is wanted under an international arrest warrant, accused Kandev of corruption, alleging that he had paid bribes and been extorted for a stake in his business.

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An opinion in Trud examines the financial interests of Varna Mayor Blagomir Kotsev and his family amid ongoing controversy over the use of state-owned land in the city's seaside garden. The Supreme Court of Cassation recently upheld a ruling ordering the family-owned company operating the Horizont complex to pay over BGN 380,000 for using parts of state properties without legal grounds.

MAVRODIEV'S RETURN

Bulgarian Development Bank (BDB) ex-CEO Stoyan Mavrodiev was handed over by the Serbian authorities to Bulgarian law enforcement at the border on Tuesday and escorted to Sofia. Mavrodiev is charged with embezzlement in connection with a BGN 150 million loan granted by the state-owned bank in 2019. His whereabouts were unknown from the summer of 2024 until early June this year, when he was detained at Belgrade Airport. He went into hiding after being charged for the approval of an unsecured BGN 150 million loan to a company owned by businessman Rumen Gaitanski.

Mavrodiev's lawyer, Emanuil Yordanov, told bTV that the decision for the former CEO to return to Bulgaria had been taken jointly after he assumed his defence, arguing that "one cannot hide from justice forever" and that it was better to actively seek clarification of the case. Yordanov said Mavrodiev had initially left the country out of concern about the judicial process, but that the political developments following the parliamentary elections in April had influenced his decision to return. He said the defence would carefully examine the prosecution's evidence, arguing that a BGN 150 million loan could not have been approved by the bank's chief executive acting alone because such decisions involved multiple officials. He added that Mavrodiev denied signing the loan documents. Yordanov said the case could reach court as early as Friday and that less restrictive pre-trial measures were possible.

Interviewed by BNR, Yordanov said the facts of the case would become clear as the proceedings progressed, noting that Mavrodiev had already explained the BDB's loan approval procedures during questioning. He argued that the investigation would primarily depend on documentary evidence rather than witness testimony and said the defence would first examine the documents collected by the prosecution. The lawyer also said Mavrodiev should not be expected to serve political interests, stressing that it was up to the authorities, not an individual defendant, to uphold the rule of law. He said the possible outcomes ranged from the case being discontinued to an acquittal or a conviction, depending on the evidence presented.

Journalist Mira Badjeva told BNR the interesting thing about Mavrodiev's case is that there are many witness statements and few documents, that is why she does not expect any major revelations from Mavrodiev himself.

Journalist Kiril Borisov from 24 Chasa told BNT that Mavrodiev's return was most likely linked to the change in the country's political leadership, adding that it would give him an opportunity to defend himself in court. The journalist described Mavrodiev as an expert in offshore corporate structures, claiming he had assisted a number of well-known public figures in setting up offshore companies.

ENERGY, BUDGET

Interviewed by Trud, Prof. Ivan Hinovski, Chairman of the Bulgarian Energy & Mining Forum, says Bulgaria should expand its nuclear generation capacity, including by building two new units at Kozloduy NPP and deploying small modular reactors, while arguing that large-scale solar development has gone too far. He warned that the rapid expansion of photovoltaic parks poses increasing risks to grid stability and called for a moratorium on connecting new solar projects above 5 MW. Hinovski argues that Bulgaria already has an excessive number of large photovoltaic plants, questioning their long-term environmental sustainability because of the disposal of worn-out solar panels and batteries. He said the country's permissive policy towards solar park development had made Bulgaria an example of an "overheated" solar sector while neglecting other renewable energy sources such as biomass, wind and geothermal energy. He also warned that the concentration of large solar parks could pose risks to the stability of the electricity system. Regarding the Belene NPP project, he said it could not be restarted in the near future because of the current geopolitical situation. He argued that any completion of the project would have to comply with EU rules and involve partners and equipment suppliers from OECD countries, with Ukraine able to participate but not play a leading role. He estimated the cost of completing the two-unit plant at EUR 12-14 billion and said the project could not be licensed without the involvement of Russian institutions, given their role in the original design.

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Dnevnik.bg reports that Parliament is due to hold a first-reading debate on the 2026 State Budget Bill, which projects a fiscal deficit of 5.7% of GDP. The deficit exceeds the cap set by the Public Finance Act and has drawn criticism from both the opposition and economists. Prime Minister Radev and Finance Minister Galab Donev have repeatedly blamed the previous government for the budget's parameters. In nominal terms, the deficit exceeds EUR 7 billion, nearly double the level envisaged in the unsuccessful draft budgets of Rosen Zhelyazkov's cabinet. Planned expenditure totals a record EUR 56.8 billion, which Donev has said reflects the inclusion of all previously undisclosed fiscal commitments.

BNR reported that the 2026 State Budget Bill had come under strong criticism from the opposition. Democratic Bulgaria MP Martin Dimitrov said it was only the second budget in the past 25 years, after the 2025 budget proposed by GERB, to exceed the Public Finance Act's benchmark of limiting redistribution through the budget to below 40% of GDP. He argued that although the fiscal situation was difficult, it was "by no means a crisis" and did not justify the proposed level of spending and deficit. GERB leader Boyko Borissov also criticized the proposed budget, saying it was "even worse" than the budget proposed by his party's government, which led to its resignation. He argued that the proposed deficit, exceeding EUR 10 billion, would continue a debt spiral despite Bulgaria not being in a fiscal crisis. Opposition Vazrazhdane also voiced strong criticism of the draft budget.

The deadline for proposed amendments to the Public Social Insurance Budget Bill expires on Wednesday, BNR reported. Only the smallest group, Vazrazhdane, has submitted proposals so far, including maintaining second-year maternity benefits at the same level as in the first year, but not below the minimum wage. The party also proposes that mothers returning to work early receive 75% of the benefit in addition to their salary, as well as doubling the minimum and maximum daily unemployment benefits.

At Tuesday's protest, parents called for maternity benefits during the second year of parental leave to be set at 70% of the recipient's contributory income, but not less than the national minimum wage. They also demanded annual indexation of maternity and child allowances. The protesters said they would not give up and called on the President to veto the Budget Bill unless their demands were taken into account.

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Interviewed by BNT, Bulgarian Medical Association President Ivan Madzharov said the 2026 National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) Budget Bill will merely endorse the spending already made this year and cannot be expected to bring any new developments. Efforts should focus on negotiating the best possible outcome within the available parameters. Madzharov stressed that clinical pathway and medical service prices need to increase by at least 25% to make up for the gap accumulated in the past two years. The NHIF budget should include additional funding, but this is not possible because the current budget was inherited from previous governments.

Bulgarian National Television reported that employees of Sofia's ISUL hospital are staging a protest on Wednesday, demanding higher pay. The demonstration was organized by the Zashtita trade union. Protesters said their salaries had not increased for three years. The organizers added that staff from other hospitals are also ready to support the protest. Zashtita President Krasimir Mitov said it was unclear why the EUR 412 million increase in the healthcare budget did not include funds for higher salaries.

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Trud reports that municipalities will launch compulsory collection of overdue debts for property tax, waste collection fees and vehicle tax. The measure is included in the 2026 Budget Bill.

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Trud publishes an opinion by economist Stoyan Panchev in response to Labour and Social Policy Minister Nataliya Efremova's statement that 108,000 foreign workers had entered Bulgaria in the past three years. The policy analyst argued in a social media post that employers were replacing Bulgarian workers with lower-paid foreign labour rather than addressing genuine shortages. He disputed the minister's claims about a shortage of qualified workers and skills, saying that many of the imported workers were employed in low-skilled occupations such as cleaning, delivery services, hospitality, warehousing and retail, and maintained that the real demand was for cheaper labour rather than specific skills. Panchev argued that "local workers are being replaced by foreign ones", citing the employment of waiters, warehouse workers and shop assistants from Nepal and Uzbekistan.

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24 Chasa frontpages a report on rising fuel prices in Bulgaria following renewed US strikes on Iran, which pushed up global oil prices. The increase will not be offset, as the EUR 20 support scheme for low-income households, introduced when fuel prices exceeded EUR 1.60 per litre, ended in late June.

SOCIETY

bTV reported that prosecutors will seek pre-trial detention for a 28-year-old driver who caused a serious pile-up in central Sofia with 3.59 per mille alcohol in his blood. The driver of a BMW X5 hit a car stopped at a pedestrian crossing, triggering the multi-car collision. The offence carries a possible sentence of one to three years in prison, a fine and confiscation of the vehicle. The crash occurred at the same location where a 14-year-old boy was killed by a drunk driver three years ago.