site.btaMedia Review: September 2

POLITICS - PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION

Andrey Gurov and Georgi Kandev’s entry into the presidential race has reshaped the field, with their campaign seeking to unite pro-European and democratic voters while reaching beyond the traditional right-wing electorate. Coverage focuses heavily on the role of GERB, the potential impact of Iliana Iotova’s running mate, and whether Gurov and Kandev can reach the runoff.

Capital reports that former caretaker PM Andrey Gurov and former acting Interior Ministry Secretary General Georgi Kandev have entered the presidential race, announcing their candidacies in the southwestern town of Gotse Delchev on Tuesday. Gurov says they want to be a corrective to those in power rather than their “blind supporters” and to build a strong state that protects its citizens. The ticket will be nominated by an initiative committee and backed by Democratic Bulgaria and Continue the Change. Capital notes that President Iliana Iotova remains the leading candidate according to pollsters, while GERB has yet to decide whether and how it will participate.

Gurov says he and Kandev are not “armchair politicians” but working professionals with experience at the highest levels. Kandev says he accepted the vice-presidential nomination because he saw Gurov as a fair person while working with him in the caretaker cabinet and says Bulgaria needs the rule of law rather than one-man rule. Capital also recalls Gurov’s political career, his disputed removal as BNB deputy governor and his appointment as caretaker PM, as well as Kandev’s career in the Interior Ministry and resignation from the government of Rumen Radev.

NOVA TV reports that former caretaker PM and presidential candidate Andrey Gurov says the presidential race will be decided by voters rather than party headquarters. He says he will not trade support for political promises and expects to attract voters from both GERB and Progressive Bulgaria, as well as from the centre-left and centre-right. “The question is whether we should concentrate all power in one pair of hands, or whether there should be a balance,” Gurov says, arguing that the presidency should serve as a clear corrective to the government.

Gurov says he sees Bulgaria’s future in a united Europe and criticises what he describes as the concentration of power. He also says Iliana Iotova will find it difficult to distance herself from Rumen Radev’s policies, arguing that the presidency should have its own position rather than become an extension of a political model. Gurov says he regards himself as independent despite having previously represented a political party and supports changes to the so-called "housebook" mechanism, consisting of the pool of candidates who are eligible to head a caretaker-government, to provide more options when appointing a caretaker cabinet.

NOVA TV reports that Gurov also criticises attempts to regulate prices administratively through concepts such as a “fair price” and a consumer basket, saying budgetary measures are needed instead. He links high prices to the large budget deficit and says public-sector pay increases are widening the gap with private-sector workers. On judicial reform, he calls for a more comprehensive assessment of the problems and says the president should insist on the highest standards when appointing people to senior state positions. 

Gurov presents Georgi Kandev as his vice-presidential candidate, saying he values his “openness” and knows Kandev will always tell him the truth. He says he discussed his decision to run with his wife, an economist and lecturer at the American University. Gurov concludes that, as a majoritarian election, the presidential vote will ultimately be decided by Bulgarian citizens.

24 Chasa writes that, 117 days after handing over the premiership to Rumen Radev, Gurov finally confirmed his presidential bid, while Kandev announced after 86 days of silence that he would be his running mate. The two unveiled what the paper describes as a long-known but “strictly” guarded secret at the historical museum in their hometown of Gotse Delchev, before a small group of supporters and media.

Standartnews takes a strongly critical view of the candidates, saying Gurov entered the campaign late and “got off on the wrong foot” with his first statements. It highlights his claim that he is not a party candidate and seeks “broad civic support”, contrasting this with the backing already declared by Democratic Bulgaria and its political figures. The paper also reports criticism from GERB MP Hristo Gadjev over the use of the historical museum for the announcement and recalls the building’s politically charged history.

Standartnews cites sociologist Yuliy Pavlov as saying it is too early to assess the support of the urban right, while Rumyana Buchvarova questions whether Gurov meets voters’ expectations of an authentic president. Sociologist Kolyo Kolarev puts Gurov and Kandev in third place in preliminary surveys, behind Burgas Mayor Dimitar Nikolov and Rosen Zhelyazkov.

Dnevnik focuses on Gurov’s initiative committee, listing actors, writers, academics and other prominent public figures who have joined it. In an interview with bTV, Gurov says the delay in announcing the ticket was due to technical preparations, including forming the initiative committee and drawing up a plan. He says conversations across the country convinced him to run because people want checks and balances and do not want power concentrated in one party. 

Gurov says he is seeking support from “democratic voters” who believe that power should not be concentrated in one party and that Bulgaria’s place is in Europe. He says he does not owe anything to Iotova and sees no conflict arising from her appointing him as caretaker PM in the past. He also says he would have vetoed the state budget had he been president. 

bTV: Political scientists Prof. Maria Pirgova and Teodor Slavev and former energy minister Miroslav Sevlievski say Andrey Gurov and Georgi Kandev’s presidential bid changes the electoral configuration, with Gurov seeking to attract voters beyond the traditional right-wing and urban electorate. Pirgova says the candidates’ initial emphasis on the East-West divide and support from the democratic community may limit their ability to broaden their appeal. “I think these are rather restrictive lines for opening the fan to more political forces,” she says, adding that the pair will seek a runoff but must expand its support beyond the right-wing spectrum. 

Slavev says it is positive that the main candidates so far are not radical, while stressing that the president’s constitutional powers should be part of the campaign debate. He notes that the next president will appoint the next Prosecutor General and President of the Supreme Administrative Court. Sevlievski describes the Gurov-Kandev ticket as “decent” and says it could reach a runoff if it runs a similarly “decent” campaign. He expects the international situation, including European defence, Turkiye’s role, NATO and EU changes, to feature prominently.

The analysts also discuss Iliana Iotova’s prospective vice-presidential candidate and the potential impact on her electoral support. Pirgova says the running mate will be particularly important for broadening Iotova’s electorate and argues that the candidate should have a stronger patriotic profile. Slavev cautions against making foreign policy the main dividing line, saying the president can have views on international affairs but cannot pursue an independent foreign policy. Sevlievski expects Iotova’s campaign to be closely associated with Rumen Radev, with her opponents likely to turn the election into “a referendum for and against Radev.” 

The analysts identify GERB’s decision on whether to nominate its own candidate as the biggest unknown. Pirgova says GERB leader Boyko Borissov faces a difficult choice over whether to field a candidate who could finish third, while warning that staying out of the race could be a strategic mistake and that the election could test GERB’s structures ahead of the local elections. Sevlievski, however, says Borissov may wait for the leading candidates to make a mistake. 

bTV also reports that Democratic Bulgaria MP and Deputy Parliament Chair Atanas Atanassov supports Andrey Gurov’s presidential bid and says the main task of Gurov and his initiative committee is to unite the entire pro-European democratic community behind the ticket. “Ultimately, this election will be decided between, figuratively speaking, East and West and their supporters in Bulgaria,” Atanassov says. He also calls for centrist voters to be attracted to the ticket and urges GERB leader Boyko Borissov to clarify whether the party will field its own candidate, saying Gurov and Kandev should seek the support of GERB voters rather than its leadership. 

Atanassov warns against a “presidential umbrella” over the government and says the next president should provide a strong corrective to the authorities. He also says Georgi Kandev should use the campaign to explain his earlier claims that he was prevented from working effectively in the Interior Ministry and that he did not want to compromise his principles. 

DEFENCE - SECURITY

BNT reports that the issue of two US military transport aircraft landing at Sofia Airport has been “overexposed” and that there is nothing dangerous or unusual about the incident, Parliament’s Defence Committee Chair Ivan Lalov says. He explains that, as Bulgaria is a NATO member, military aircraft can land at airports in member states for various reasons, including refuelling, crew rest or other operational requirements.

Lalov says Bulgaria’s main national security risks are linked to the war in Ukraine and the situation in the Middle East. He adds that surveillance and control have been strengthened because of the increasingly frequent discovery of drones and sea mines along Bulgaria’s coast. Regarding the drone that fell near Kardam, Lalov says Ukraine has unofficially confirmed that it was a Ukrainian drone whose flight path was not directed towards Romania or Bulgaria, with the circumstances of its loss of control still under investigation. 

The Defence Committee Chairman says a reduction in the US military presence in Europe means European countries will have to develop capabilities that bring them closer to US levels within NATO. He also outlines planned amendments to the Defence and Armed Forces Act, including improved social benefits for servicemen and their families and clearer career-development paths. Defence spending is planned to rise from 2.15% of GDP this year to 2.33% next year and eventually to 5% by 2035, although Lalov notes that the pace will depend on Bulgaria’s economic development and other factors. 

Lalov adds that the defence modernisation programme covers all branches of the armed forces, including the acquisition of combat aircraft, ships, 155-mm howitzers and a medium-range air-defence system, including Germany’s IRIS system. Automatic mechanisms for increasing military salaries are currently frozen, certainly for 2027 and possibly also for 2028, although Lalov says he hopes this will change.

HEALTH CARE

The government’s decision to restart the National Children’s Hospital design process and Health Minister Katya Ivkova’s broader reform agenda are the main health-care stories. Coverage highlights concerns over the hospital’s previous specifications and growing opposition to what the health sector sees as excessive centralisation of regulatory and administrative functions.

Mediapool reports that the government will restart the process for designing the National Children’s Hospital, prepare a new tender and revise the existing specifications, which Regional Development Minister Ivan Shishkov and Health Minister Katya Ivkova say could lead to wasteful spending and unnecessary costs. The decision follows the cancellation of the previous tender by the Commission for Protection of Competition, while the Health Investment Company for Children’s Hospital has also had its management replaced.

Shishkov says the previous specifications could have resulted in the state paying substantially more than necessary, while Ivkova points to 20 planned operating theatres compared with four at the children’s hospital in Burgas and says the number of beds is also excessive. She says the ministry will use existing analyses by the European Investment Bank and IDOM. Mediapool adds that Elena Peneva-Zlatkova has replaced Desislava Malinova as executive director of the investment company, while Malinova says her dismissal was unlawful and Ivkova’s claims about the specifications are untrue. The government is also considering an international design competition and the possibility of beginning underground construction on the basis of a conceptual design. Work is to be accelerated on surrounding sections of the Sofia Ring Road, while an additional underground car park is also being considered.

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Capital examines growing opposition within the health sector to Health Minister Katya Ivkova’s planned reforms, describing their common feature as “centralisation”. The plans include cutting the administration of the 28 Regional Health Inspectorates, closing the National Council on Prices and Reimbursement of Medicinal Products and, in an earlier version, creating a larger body around the Medical Supervision Executive Agency and the Centre for Assisted Reproduction. Five major national patient organisations have requested meetings with Ivkova and PM Rumen Radev, while the National Council and the regional health inspectorates have issued open letters defending their roles. 

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Capital says the proposed transformation of the medicines regulator into a Health Ministry directorate has raised concerns because medicine availability and export restrictions are actually monitored by the Bulgarian Drug Agency. It notes that the council performs functions including pricing and reimbursement decisions, health technology assessments and participation in European regulatory networks. The council calls for a comprehensive functional analysis before any reform, while the regional inspectorates warn that centralisation could undermine the continuity and quality of state health control. They propose alternatives including greater digitalisation, standardised procedures and individual assessments of each inspectorate.

ECONOMY - PUBLIC FINANCE

Sega reports that 2027 will effectively be a “zero year” for financing new public construction investments, with the government freezing new projects under the capital programme except for emergency or mandatory investments, such as defence projects. The measure is contained in Finance Ministry instructions for preparing the 2027 budget, which Bulgaria must submit to the European Commission by October 15 as it remains under an excessive-deficit procedure.

The instructions also call for an end to inflation-based indexation of contracts and changes to public procurement legislation. Priority will be given to projects already under way, while ministries are to review older contracts that have not started and consider terminating them. Capital spending is projected to fall from EUR 9.36 billion to EUR 6.69 billion in 2027, although much of the reduction is linked to the completion of the Recovery and Resilience Plan. The consolidated fiscal programme envisages a deficit of 5.7% of GDP this year and 3.8% in 2027, while the European Commission has advised Bulgaria against mechanically cutting investment and instead urged structural improvements to public finances.

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS 

European security dominates international coverage, with Germany and EU leaders responding to suspected Russian hybrid attacks and discussing further sanctions and support for Ukraine. At the same time, escalating US-Iran tensions and plans to strengthen Europe’s defence capabilities remain major international concerns. Media outlets also cover the news of an explosion at a train station in the German city of Augsburg, which injured two. 

Mediapool reports that the German government believes Russia was responsible for an attempted drone attack at Leipzig Airport last month, citing German media reports. Authorities suspect Russian intelligence services were involved after an explosive-laden drone was found near a Ukrainian cargo aircraft. Chancellor Friedrich Merz says Germany is coordinating its response with NATO and EU allies, while Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul says Berlin will take proportionate measures and will respond “when it is attacked”.

The report also covers the discovery of improvised explosive and incendiary devices at an electrical substation in Brandenburg. No one was injured and electricity supplies were not disrupted, although the facility sustained material damage. German federal prosecutors have described the Leipzig incident as a “serious attack on German transport and logistics infrastructure”. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas says it is “clear” to her that Russia was behind the drone incident, while leaving Germany to establish the perpetrators. 

Telegraph gives prominent coverage to Germany’s response, describing it as a major diplomatic blow against Russia. It reports that Berlin plans to close the Russian Consulate General in Bonn by September 18 and cancel the lease of the Russian House in Berlin. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte says the Alliance will protect its members against “any threat”, with the paper characterising the incident as a new Russian hybrid attack against Germany. 

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and NATO Secretary General, Mark Rutte will give a joint briefing on Wednesday, reported Bulgarian National Radio. During the briefing they will discuss the attempted Russian drone attacks on Leipzig Airport and the further possible sanctions against Russia. The EC President said to have spoken on this topic with the German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, and she assured him that the EU stands in full solidarity with Germany. Von der Leyen also explained that the EU will remain united and respond clearly to hybrid attacks, while continuing to support Ukraine for as long as necessary. European Council President Antonio Costa also strongly condemned the attacks.

Currently an informal meeting of EU foreign ministers is taking place in Dublin. From the meeting EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said she would establish a new high-level defence group, which will consist of senior political and military leaders from several EU member states, the UK and Ukraine. Kallas also added that the EU hasn’t acted quickly enough to address identified gaps in its conventional military capabilities within NATO. The new group will bring together leading security and defence experts to develop unconventional solutions and make recommendations on strengthening Europe’s defence. 

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Dariknews reports that the US military has launched new strikes against targets in Iran, according to international news agencies. US Central Command says the strikes targeted Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps in response to recent attacks on commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz and US military personnel in the region. Iranian state media reports explosions around Bandar Abbas and Qeshm Island, while Iranian officials say four projectiles hit several areas east of the Strait of Hormuz.

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps warns that the US will face “severe punishment” for the attacks. US President Donald Trump calls the latest strikes “justified” and threatens larger attacks if Tehran retaliates, saying they were in response to an alleged attempt to mine the Strait of Hormuz and missile attacks on a US military base in Jordan. Dariknews recalls that US strikes on Iran on Sunday were followed by Iranian missile and drone attacks on US targets in Jordan and the UAE, while Washington has announced an economic “strangulation” campaign whose details remain to be specified.

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At least two people injured in explosion at southern Germany train station, bTV reports, citing Euronews. The train station in the southern German city of Augsburg was completely closed by police on Wednesday morning after a suspicious object exploded and another suspicious object was found nearby. Several people sustained minor injuries due to the loud sound of the explosion. Police said that a 17-year-old girl and an 18-year-old boy were being treated for acoustic trauma. Some nearby windows were also blown out. Explosives experts from the State Criminal Police Office are investigating the scene and searching the area around the site of the explosion. The story is covered by other major Bulgarian media.

EUROVISION SONG CONTEST PREPARATIONS 

The Bulgaria coastal city of Burgas is preparing for the Eurovision Song Contest and the main challenges it’s facing are the transportation, accommodation, security, and coordination with the regional authorities, the director of the Municipal Tourism Enterprise, Assoc. Prof. Radovesta Stewart, told bTV. According to her Burgas is fully ready to host the contest and the organizers’ decision to make it the host city is not only beneficial for Burgas, but also for the country because the tourism branch in this region is very well developed. The Burgas region had welcomed over 3 million tourists at the airport before 2019, hence the city has the capacity and the accommodation to be a great host, added the director of the Municipal Tourism Enterprise. Stewart said that additional routes and charter programmes to Burgas have already been announced ahead of Eurovision 2027. Around ten new flights per day have been confirmed so far, with more expected, including from Germany, the UK and Central Europe. Transfers from Varna and Sofia are also being ensured.

When asked about the accommodation opportunities, Stewart explained that Burgas will rely not only on accommodation in the city but across the wider region. The region has around 160,000 beds, compared with about 4,000 in Burgas itself. She noted that travel times from resorts such as Sunny Beach and Pomorie range from 10 to 40 minutes. Partner municipalities will also support accommodation needs.
Traffic around the semi-finals and final will be another major challenge, but Stuart said Burgas can distribute traffic flows from both the north and south. The municipality is also preparing a dynamic information platform covering transport, accommodation and events.

AI AND EDUCATION

Trud reports that the Massachusetts Institute of Technology is considering a fundamental overhaul of its educational model in response to the rapid development of artificial intelligence. A new report by an MIT AI committee, co-chaired by professors Eric Klopfer and Samuel Madden, says AI models already pose “deep challenges” to traditional education and can convincingly complete a large share of undergraduate assignments, including essays, mathematics, science and programming.

The report does not call for banning AI but recommends rethinking teaching and assessment through more oral examinations, portfolios and discussions that allow teachers to establish how students reached their answers. MIT says AI can be a useful educational tool if it supports rather than replaces independent thinking. The committee recommends clear rules for the use of generative AI in every course, as the technology is changing not only how students complete assignments but also how learning and the demonstration of knowledge are understood.