site.btaMedia Review: August 20

IRAN EYES STRIKING US ASSETS IN BULGARIA

The topic that Iranian forces had assessed striking US military assets in Bulgaria dominates Thursday’s media. Citing “two regime insiders”, the Financial Times said that “Iranian forces had assessed striking US assets in south-eastern European countries such as Bulgaria”, which had approved the use of Bezmer Air Base for US refuelling aircraft. One of the sources also identified Cyprus as a possible target for retaliation in the event of a renewed US offensive. On July 22, Parliament authorized the deployment of up to eight US Air Force KC-135 aerial refuelling aircraft and up to 250 US military personnel at Bezmer from July 24 to October 1, 2026, in support of US operations in the Middle East.

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Former State Agency for National Security (SANS) chair and former interior minister Tsvetlin Yovchev told bTV that Bulgaria is facing a new security situation and that the possibility of an Iranian attack is increasing, although he cautioned that the available information could potentially be part of a hybrid operation. Yovchev outlined two main scenarios: a missile attack, which would require reliance on NATO and allied air-defence capabilities, and a terrorist attack targeting Bezmer Air Base. He called for increased surveillance around the base and a stronger police presence. He said Bulgaria’s newly acquired anti-drone systems could be deployed relatively quickly, with personnel training taking five to 10 days under an intensive programme. However, he stressed that the systems, with an effective range of about 5 km, are primarily suitable for protecting strategic sites and are not sufficient on their own. They should be complemented by capabilities to physically destroy drones, particularly autonomous ones that cannot be detected through their communications links. Yovchev also backed military training in schools, saying Bulgaria currently lacks even a basic pool of trained personnel in the event of mobilization.

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The 24 Chasa daily publishes a frontpage article on the topic, titled “Because of Two US Aircraft, Iran Has Targeted Bulgaria, Too. Defence Minister Denies Such Information”. The text cites the Financial Times, saying that if the US goes too far, Iran will defend itself “at any cost” and could launch attacks against Europe, and this time the warning concerns Bulgaria as well. The anonymous sources told the Financial Times that if US President Donald Trump decides to escalate the war, Iran is prepared to extend the conflict beyond the Middle East. Iranian military officials are reportedly already assessing potential options for doing so. Theoretically, this could put Bezmer Air Base near Yambol, where US military aircraft are present, on the radar of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. Geographically, Bulgaria is within range of Iran’s long-range missiles, 24 Chasa underscores. However, Defence Minister Atanas Zapryanov said there is no information indicating that Bulgaria has been specifically targeted by Iran.

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Bulgarian National Radio (BNR) reported that Greece is prepared to respond to Iranian threats against US military facilities in Southeast Europe, including in Bulgaria, and could assist in protecting Bulgarian airspace if necessary, citing Greek media and Greek Defence Ministry sources. Athens is reportedly ready to deploy a Patriot air-defence system to Bulgaria should Sofia request assistance. A possible location is Didymoteicho, near the Bulgarian border, although Greek officials stress that any deployment would require a political decision. Greek media have highlighted Bulgaria’s Bezmer Air Base, following the Bulgarian government’s decision to allow US tanker aircraft to use the facility, BNR said. Athens is also considering other scenarios, including potentially moving a Patriot system from the island of Karpathos to Crete to protect the US Souda air base. Four Greek F-16 fighter jets and the Greek Navy frigate Fokas would remain deployed to help protect Cyprus.

Nova TV also covers the topic.

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Political scientist and geopolitical analyst Martin Tabakov and VMRO Deputy Chair Milen Mihov told Nova TV that a direct Iranian missile strike against Bulgaria remains unlikely, but warned that terrorist, sabotage and other hybrid actions represent a more realistic risk amid the continuing escalation with Tehran.

Tabakov said Iran’s recent warnings should primarily be viewed as a message to Washington and stressed the need to distinguish between Tehran’s intentions and its actual capabilities. A strike against Bulgaria would be considerably more difficult because of the distance and NATO’s defensive capabilities on its southeastern flank.

Mihov likewise described a direct attack, including against Bezmer Air Base, as highly unlikely, but said potential threats could range from missile strikes to other forms of hostile activity. He argued that Bulgaria needs a long-term strategy because the conflict could develop over several years.

Tabakov identified the more realistic threat as activity by Iran-linked proxy groups, particularly Hezbollah, rather than a direct missile attack. He called for security services to monitor individuals suspected of links to such organizations.

The two also discussed the presence of US tanker aircraft at Bulgarian military facilities. Mihov argued that Bulgaria has no allied obligation to provide such support and said Sofia should not allow further use of its military infrastructure once existing commitments expire. Tabakov, meanwhile, said it would be politically illogical for Iran to attack a European country, as this could push Europe toward greater involvement against Tehran.

PENSIONS

The 24 Chasa daily frontpages an article titled “We Paid EUR 3.6 Bln to People Whose Contributions Were Not Enough to Cover Minimum Pension”. According to the text, automatic state top-ups to bring pensions up to the legally set minimum have cost Bulgaria EUR 3.6 billion between 2020 and 2025, based on National Social Security Institute (NSSI) statistics. The annual cost has risen sharply, reaching a record EUR 884.97 million in 2025, when an average of EUR 91.90 was added to each affected pension. The number of pensioners receiving top-ups increased from 661,334 in 2020 to 802,449 in 2026, 24 Chasa writes.

According to the media, the sharpest increase came in 2022, when annual top-ups reached EUR 643.34 million, following a 26.2% increase in the minimum pension for length of service and age. The COVID supplement, introduced at the same time, also contributed significantly to pension spending. More than EUR 1.5 billion was paid in COVID supplements between August 2020 and June 2022, while the supplements incorporated into pensions were still costing about EUR 46.89 million a month as of August 2026. From July 2026, the supplement is no longer included in newly granted pensions.

24 Chasa argues that repeatedly raising the minimum pension has narrowed the gap between people who made substantially different contributions to the pension system, potentially weakening incentives to pay higher social-security contributions.

More than 230,000 pensioners continue to work while receiving pensions, around 10% more than six years earlier. About one in four works in public administration, healthcare or education. In 2025, 59,519 working pensioners were employed in the public sector, including 7,649 nurses, midwives and laboratory technicians in hospitals and more than 3,000 people in education, the text further says.

ENERGY

In a BNR interview, former Kozloduy Nuclear Power Plant and Bulgarian Energy Holding director Valentin Nikolov said that Bulgaria’s energy strategy must address diversification, nuclear capacity and reserves as climate and technological risks put additional pressure on the electricity system. Nikolov stressed the need to begin planning now for the further extension of the operating life of Kozloduy’s Units 5 and 6, whose current licences run to around 2040. He also said the government’s programme lacks clarity on the future of pumped-storage and hydroelectric plants, gas infrastructure and the development of new nuclear capacity. The construction of Units 7 and 8 at Kozloduy is among the government’s major investment priorities and is intended to provide long-term baseload electricity. However, Nikolov questioned how much new nuclear capacity Bulgaria will ultimately need given the rapid expansion of solar power and battery storage.

He also highlighted the role of coal-fired plants, which the government considers strategic reserves. Maintaining them in standby, he said, requires funding for personnel and other reserves, particularly during periods of energy shortages such as the current low water levels in the Danube.

Nikolov also pointed to potential offshore oil and gas resources under the Khan Tervel exploration area in the Black Sea, where Turkiye’s state-owned Turkish Petroleum holds a 33% stake. According to Nikolov, Bulgaria ultimately needs a diversified energy system covering multiple sources and supply routes, while balancing electricity security, investment needs and the EU’s decarbonisation goals.

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The Trud tabloid daily frontpages an article, commenting that Bulgaria’s government is considering a two-tier electricity pricing model for households, under which electricity consumed up to a defined threshold would be cheaper, while consumption above it would be charged at a higher rate. The government programme calls for an impact assessment to be completed by April 2027, with a possible introduction from July 1, 2027. The analysis will examine the effects on different types of households, energy efficiency and the cost of the electricity system, while seeking to prevent excessive consumption from benefiting from subsidised rates. The level of basic consumption has yet to be determined, taking into account factors such as household size and heating and hot-water systems.

The government also plans a phased transition of households to the free electricity market, potentially beginning January 1, 2028. A socio-economic assessment is due by April 2027, while a mechanism to protect energy-poor and vulnerable households is expected by September 2027. Under recently adopted rules, households whose income falls below the poverty line after paying their electricity bill would qualify for assistance. The transition could also involve the installation of 3.32 million smart electricity meters between 2027 and 2031, at an estimated cost of EUR 219 million. The Energy and Water Regulatory Commission estimates that the investment could raise household electricity prices by roughly 0.66% to 2.29%, depending on the distribution network, Trud writes.

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

According to an analysis published by Segabg.com, Bulgaria’s IT sector has entered an increasingly sharp confrontation with the government over the role of the state-owned Information Services company amid growing public spending on digitalisation projects and the company’s expanding role in public-sector IT.

The dispute intensified after the European Commission closed in June an infringement procedure against Bulgaria concerning the company’s designation as a system integrator for government institutions. Under the previous model, certain contracts were assigned directly to Information Services rather than through public procurement procedures. Bulgaria introduced a new system based on three-party agreements and began buying back privately held shares. State ownership reached 99.8% by June 2026, with the buyback expected to continue through the end of the year.

IT companies nevertheless argue that closing the procedure does not amount to a finding that the arrangement fully complies with EU law. They have also raised concerns about the concentration of policymaking, contracting and oversight within the same government structure. Meanwhile, Information Services continues to expand. The government recently added the Ministry of Tourism to the list of institutions using it as a system integrator, bringing the total to 33 administrations. The company’s revenue more than doubled from about BGN 84 million in 2020 to BGN 176 million in 2025, while profit nearly quadrupled to BGN 17 million, the articles says.

The dispute is particularly significant given the scale of upcoming EU-funded digitalisation projects. More than EUR 100 million is expected to be allocated for data spaces covering nine strategic sectors, while the indicative 2026 budget of the Research, Innovation and Digitalisation programme has been raised to EUR 272.5 million. The IT sector has called for the state company’s role to be reconsidered, while the government continues to support its expansion. Further tensions are likely as major digitalisation tenders are prepared, Segabg.com writes.

VRANA PARK

Mediapool.bg has an article on the poor condition of Vrana Park in Sofia. More than 600 dead and potentially dangerous trees must be removed from the park before the site can reopen to visitors, the Sofia Municipality said. It has already begun safety work, purchasing equipment and hiring workers, although no reopening date has been set. Mediapool.bg recalls that the municipality took effective control of the park on June 22, after the government formally transferred its management earlier in May. Municipal workers are currently removing trees and clearing overgrown areas. The safety operation is expected to cost around EUR 960,000, including about EUR 560,000 for equipment.

The park, a protected monument of garden and landscape art, has deteriorated significantly. Visitors can see fallen benches, large dead trees and overgrown paths, while recent work also revealed that the fire hydrants serving the park do not have sufficient water flow and need to be replaced. The palace itself is also in poor condition, with damaged plaster, broken windows and peeling paint, although its maintenance remains the responsibility of Bulgaria’s royal family. The municipality had previously carried out emergency clearing at the request of the royal family ahead of former prime minister Simeon Saxe-Coburg-Gotha’s birthday in June.

A previous assessment identified around 1,000 dangerous trees, of which roughly one-third were removed by the regional administration. A December 2025 assessment put the number of remaining hazardous trees at 621.