site.btaMedia Review: June 6

INTERNATIONAL POLITICS

A main topic in the press on Friday, including in Trud, 24 Chasa and other outlets, was Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov’s meeting with European Commissioner for Economy and Productivity, Enforcement and Simplification Valdis Dombrovskis. The conversation was attended by the European Commissioner for Start-ups, Research and Innovation Ekaterina Zaharieva and Finance Minister Temenuzhka Petkova. They discussed the challenges and necessary steps for Bulgaria after the European Commission and the European Central Bank said that Bulgaria is fully ready to join the eurozone from January 1, 2026.

Trud, 24 Chasa also quote National Assembly Chair Nataliya Kiselova, who stressed at a meeting with Bulgarian EU Commissioner Ekaterina Zaharieva that the positive reports of the European Commission and the European Central Bank on Bulgaria's membership in the eurozone reveal new economic prospects for this country. “This is a historic step for Bulgaria. We expect our economy to strengthen, trade with euro area countries to grow, and direct investment to increase,” she added.

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Mediapool, 24 Chasa, Duma quote a press conference by Foreign Minister Georg Georgiev and MPs from the ruling coalition, including GERB-UDF, BSP-United Left and There Is Such a People, where they commented on the postponement of the annual progress report of the Republic of North Macedonia on their path towards EU accession. The ruling coalition reiterated its position that Sofia will not deviate from the requirements set out in the Skopje negotiation framework. Foreign Minister Georgiev stated that "EU membership is not a given, it is based on specific criteria and conditions that every candidate country must meet". Previously, Bulgarian MEPs said that there was an unacceptable leak of information to Skopje and spoke out against comments in the report concerning the North Macedonian identity and language.

Telegraph, as well as Trud, Mediapool, report that there have been suspicions of unregulated contacts between the rapporteur for North Macedonia, Thomas Weitz, and Skopje, GERB MEP Emil Radev confirmed these suspicions to Telegraph. Such contact is absolutely prohibited and this is the reason for the request to postpone the report by one month. The request to the European Parliament was signed by all 17 Bulgarian MEPs without exception, and in this regard there was complete unanimity, Radev said. As a result, Weitz yesterday proposed that the vote on the report in the European Parliament's foreign affairs committee be postponed.

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Sega, 24 Chasa report that the European Commission has approved Bulgaria's request to take advantage of the possibility of exceeding its deficit by up to 1.5% of GDP, without this leading to the launch of an excessive deficit procedure. The decision was made by the EC on Wednesday, as the Commission adopted recommendations to the Council to activate the exception for 15 countries, including Bulgaria. This was confirmed in a joint interview with several media outlets, including by European Commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis.

ECONOMY

In a Nova TV interview on Friday morning, EU Commissioner for Economy and Productivity and for Implementation and Simplification Valdis Dombrovskis said that joining the eurozone will have a number of tangible benefits like lower currency exchange costs, lower interest rates, greater attractiveness for foreign investment and that all this will help economic development. Dombrovskis said that a political decision is indeed imminent, but currently there are no signs that anyone could oppose it. The final decision will be made on July 8, after that, the focus will be on practical preparations, he explained. After Thursday’s talks in the National Assembly, Dombrovskis said that he saw broad support in the country for adopting the euro. He rejected the thesis of the opponents of the euro that Bulgaria is joining “to pay the debts” of other EU countries.

Deputy Minister of Finance Metodi Metodiev said on the air of Nova that if there is a price spike after January 1, it will be due to speculation, not to the adoption of the single currency. *

Nova and bTV report that on Friday, the Commission for Protection of Competition, the National Revenue Agency and the Commission for Consumer Protection will sign a memorandum that will introduce synchronization in their actions for the introduction of the euro and against speculation and unjustified price increases.

Sega, 24 Chasa quote Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov, who said at a press conference after his meeting with Valdis Dombrovskis, that there is “no reason for people to panic and exchange their BGN or spend them. The value of their money will remain at the fixed exchange rate." The Prime Minister assured journalists that the state will guarantee a smooth and peaceful transition to the European currency. He recalled that the exchange of BGN into EUR will be carried out without fees and indefinitely at the Bulgarian National Bank, and banks and post offices will exchange them free of charge for the first 6 months after January 1.

Trud quotes Bulgarian EU Commissioner for Start-ups, Research and Innovation Ekaterina Zaharieva, who said that adopting the euro is one of the best investments a government can make for the future of future generations. The process is almost irreversible, she said, noting that there are still a few steps left, but there is no reason why this should not happen from January 1, 2026. “I do not expect any country to be against it. I do not expect there to be any problem either in the Council of the European Union or in the Eurogroup,” said Zaharieva. She added that the data show that the lowest increase in income in a country that has entered the eurozone is 68%, and the highest, 108%, and that there is no reason for the changeover to increase prices in the country. It is also very important for the government to create a mechanism to monitor that there is no speculation, she noted.

Trud quotes EU Commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis, who said that the negative effect of the currency conversion into euro will be within 0.1% to 0.6%, which will be compensated by lower costs. He assured Bulgarians that the EC is monitoring the process very closely, and is doing the same for the countries that have recently introduced the euro.

Trud notes that the Bulgarian National Bank (BNB) will not lose its foreign exchange reserves upon entering the eurozone. BNB Governor Dimitar Radev said that there is no reason for an increase in the prices of goods after Bulgaria enters the eurozone. He predicted growth in the purchasing power of Bulgarians, referring to the experience of the last countries that adopted the European currency. Radev also noted that political instability and a series of elections have delayed the process of introducing the euro by three years. "A new political crisis at this very moment will hinder the smooth transition to introducing the euro and will create many problems for businesses and households," warned Radev on the occasion of calls for early elections, for a vote of no confidence in the Cabinet. Radev reiterated all this on the air of BNT on Friday morning and added that Bulgaria will preserve its identity in the eurozone through banknotes and euro coins, which will depict Bulgarian letters, images and symbols.

Sega reports that banks are eliminating fees for depositing BGN into cash accounts, regardless of the amount and number of contributions, to make it easier for citizens with the upcoming exchange of BGN into EUR. In practice, this will also make it easier for the financial institutions themselves, because they will save costs for the physical exchange of currency in their offices, which in the first 6 months of the introduction of the single European currency should be free of charge for consumers.

POLITICS

Trud quotes GERB-UDF leader Boyko Borissov, who said on the occasion of Bulgaria being deemed ready to adopt the euro from January 1, 2026, that the country must continue to convince its EU partners that “it is a disciplined and stable, organized country, to build on it so that all the benefits of the eurozone can be used. Borissov was critical towards former CC-DB finance minister Assen Vassilev’s management of the budget, as well as the controversial BOTAS contract, noting: "In Europe, they see what we are fighting against. They see that [Vazrazhdane’s Kostadin] Kostadinov and [CC Co-chair Kiril] Petkov are working in an ensemble and are one and the same. One wants to introduce a vote of no confidence on the day they announce the date for the eurozone. The other is organizing protests”.

Sega quotes GERB-UDF leader Boyko Borissov, who commented on Continue the Change’s (CC) intention to submit a no-confidence vote in Rosen Zhelyazkov, calling it “foolish”. He argued that the only reason behind CC’s actions is to provoke early parliamentary elections and thus prevent Bulgaria from entering the eurozone, playing along with the biggest opponents of Bulgaria's entry into the eurozone - President Rumen Radev and Vazrazhdane.

CC commented on Thursday that talks about a vote of no confidence in the Cabinet will begin only after the process of Bulgaria's accession to the eurozone becomes irreversible, i.e. after July 9. Sega recalls that the CC's coalition partners from Democratic Bulgaria have a different opinion on the date of the vote of no confidence, wanting to initiate one in September. 

Trud, 24 Chasa quote Foreign Minister Georg Georgiev, who said in a bTV interview that Bulgaria’s success is not a random event, but the result of decades of systematic work. “I do not think it is right for the head of State to remain silent at this important economic moment. But this is a matter of personal choice,” the Foreign Minister argued. He noted that he is not worried about a possible vote of no confidence, as there is no basis for a vote of no confidence, because there is no alternative to be offered to the current government.

Trud quotes Vazrazhdane leader Kostadin Kostadinov, who argued that Bulgaria is not ready for membership in the eurozone, so the party will send a letter with an analysis of the European reports, as well as a description of the real situation in the country, to all ministers and leaders of the EU countries. "Yesterday's convergence reports are only the first step for the annexation of Bulgaria into the Eurozone. I say "annexation" of Bulgaria because this means the forcible accession of territory. We are being annexed. We are not entering voluntarily," Kostadinov told journalists.

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The theme of Bulgaria adopting the euro was a central one in all TV morning programmes on Friday. 

On the air of Bulgarian National Television (BNT) CC-DB MP Martin Dimitrov said that Continue the Change-Democratic Bulgaria (CC-DB) had the most consistent policy and support for the adoption of the euro. He argued that Vazrazhdane believe that the meaning of their existence would disappear if they can’t remove Bulgaria from the EU, NATO, so their battle is with the eurozone.

On the air of BNT, GERB-UDF Deputy Floor Leader Denitsa Sacheva said that the agreement on joint governance puts the eurozone first. “We came together so that Bulgaria could enter the eurozone and to provide opportunities for both political and economic stability for the country. There is no way that someone who refused to participate in achieving this lofty goal can now try to claim it for themselves, she noted, with a nod to CC-DB. “All the details in the report once again show that our criticisms of Assen Vassilev's pro-inflationary policy as Finance Minister were completely justified,” Sacheva pointed out.

BSP MEP Kristian Vigenin said in a BNT interview that the eurozone is a means for Bulgarian citizens to live better. “When we entered the European Union, expectations were created that something positive would suddenly happen for Bulgaria, now in the same way, tension is being created that the world will collapse on us from January 1, 2026. Nothing like that will happen,” he said.

On bTV, former CC-DB prime minister Nikolay Denkov said that Boyko Borisov is trying to distract attention from the problems that do not disappear with Bulgaria’s admission to the eurozone, like the corrupt justice system.

Izabela Kaminska, senior financial editor at Politico noted on the air of bTV that “Brussels is extremely happy that Bulgaria has managed to meet the criteria for adopting the euro and has entered the big family of the eurozone”. “I don’t really believe in the idea that inflation will be long-lasting. There may be some impact, traders may try to use it as an opportunity to increase prices, but in the long run, history shows that convergence occurs and any shock is temporary,” she said.

In a bTV interview Foreign Minister Georg Georgiev praised all responsible for the continuous efforts that lead to Bulgaria’s admission to the eurozone, noting specifically what GERB leader Boyko Borissov has done.

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Sega reports that MPs from the Democracy, Rights and Freedoms (DRF) parliamentary group which remained loyal to honorary chair Ahmed Dogan after the schism in the Movement for Rights and Freedoms, believe that the other faction, MRF-New Beginning, would be sanctioned by the US under the Magnitsky Act because it could be used as a tool to circumvent sanctions by its Chair Delyan Peevski, himself subject to sanctions for corruption. The unprecedented situation came about after the de facto party was completely taken over by Peevski, who has been sanctioned under the Magnitsky Act.

HOME AFFAIRS

24 Chasa, Sega, Mediapool, Telegraph report that Deputy Chair of the State Agency for National Security (SANS) Denyo Denev was expectedly appointed as the acting chair of the agency. This was confirmed on Thursday when he went to the Parliamentary Committee for Control of the Security Services to provide more information on the latest journalistic investigation into the activities of the Russian GRU in this country. Denev's appointment was expected after the previous head of the SANS, Plamen Tonchev, surprisingly resigned in the middle of his term. The appointment of a titular chair of counterintelligence also requires a decree from President Rumen Radev.

Mediapool, Sega report that Interior Minister Daniel Mitov has made a change to the leadership of Sofia Traffic Police. The previous Chief Nikolay Krusharski has been demoted, and Commissioner Svetlozar Zahariev has been appointed in his place. Zahariev is the fourth commissioner to take over the leadership of the Sofia Traffic Police in the last 3 years.

Mediapool reports that the trade union organization of healthcare professionals supports the protests of young doctors and continues to insist on urgent changes in the healthcare system that would guarantee quality care for patients and decent working conditions for medical specialists. The Trade Union of Bulgarian Healthcare Providers said on Thursday that they hope for a response and understanding from the governing institutions and timely implementation of the necessary changes. If this does not happen in the next three months, they will move on to the relevant protest actions.

LOCAL AFFAIRS 

Sega writes that Sofia Mayor Vasil Terziev published a roadmap for the restoration of the Vitosha lifts. On his official Facebook page, he explained what the plans are and the possible obstacles. The main steps include preparing a project and securing financing, analyzing the legislative framework and making necessary changes, updating the Vitosha Management Plan, adopting development plans and implementing the investment. The Mayor pointed out that the restoration of the Simeonovo, Dragalevtsi and Knyazhevo lifts depend not only on the Sofia Municipality, but also on the goodwill of the owner and a number of institutions.

Mediapool, Sega write that Sofia Municipality announced a new massive public procurement for garbage collection in the capital for the next 5 years. The procurement amounts to a huge estimated value, BGN 514.5 million, which is significantly higher than the current contracts, explained by increased prices and the inclusion of new equipment for cleaning the city. The contracts themselves may even exceed the forecast, because the indicated price is not the maximum.

Telegraph reports that the Municipality of Yablanitsa is “facing an ecological crisis”, after the local municipal council, convened on Thursday, did not gather a quorum and failed to vote on Yablanitsa's participation in a joint project with three other municipalities in the region to build a composting plant for biodegradable waste, the Bulgarian National Radio reported. The project is worth about BGN 6 million is for the Municipalities of Lukovit, Teteven, Yablanitsa and Roman.

CRIME

Sega writes that the prosecution service, the national anti-terrorism service and the Bulgarian Border Guard broke up a large channel for trafficking migrants, in which the fees reached EUR 18,000. The operation was carried out simultaneously in 6 Bulgarian cities, where arrests and searches were carried out.

Mediapool also reports that a criminal group for trafficking illegal migrants from Turkiye to Bulgaria has been broken up, with 16 people arrested in the operation. Charges have been brought against nine people, including two foreigners, a Syrian and a Romanian. The Syrian was charged in absentia because, according to police data, he is currently in Turkiye.

Bulgarian National television also reported on the operation, noting that the individuals in the illegal migrant trafficking scheme knew each other from prison in Hungary.