site.btaMedia Review: July 14

IVAN IVANOV TRIUMPHS AT WIMBLEDON BOYS’ SINGLES

Bulgarian tennis talent Ivan Ivanov became the second-ever representative of this country to win the Wimbledon Junior Championships, Bulgarian media say in leading reports, with print dailies carrying large frontpage photos of Ivanov. The 16-year-old delivered a flawless tournament without dropping a single set over six matches and lifted the trophy on Sunday after a 6-2 6-3 win over American Ronit Karki. The only other Bulgarian to ever win the Grand Slam tournament is Grigor Dimitrov. The country's greatest male tennis player won the junior competition in 2008. No other Bulgarian has even reached the final. Ivanov landed in London as world No. 6 in International Tennis Federation's junior rankings. After a semifinal exit at Roland Garros, he now has his first Grand Slam trophy. Meanwhile, Dimitrov’s cousin Alexander Vasilev reached the Wimbledon Junior semifinals.

24 Chasa quotes Ivanov as saying during Sunday’s award ceremony that he had dreamt a long time about this moment. “It was something special,” he said. This was Ivanov’s 100th victory in boys’ singles tennis.

According to Trud, he has trained at the Rafa Nadal Academy. The daily notes that, in the final, Ivanov outplayed Karki in all components of the game. Despite his young age, Ivanov has all the confidence he needs to win the most important matches, the paper says.

POLITICS

The Continue the Change - Democratic Bulgaria (CC-DB) coalition is in a process of internal collapse and strategic confusion, political analyst Tsvetanka Andreeva tells Trud in an interview. According to Andreeva, the no-confidence vote against Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov’s cabinet revealed growing fragmentation within the coalition, as well as increasing external pressure.

She draws a parallel to the political crisis of 2020 and suggests that the current dynamics are again being influenced by President Rumen Radev, whom she accuses of attempting to destabilize pro-European governance.

The analyst also comments on recent remarks by MP Yavor Bozhankov, who said that CC-DB Leader Assen Vassilev may be seeking to divide the coalition. According to Andreeva, the parliamentary group tends to consolidate only under external pressure but otherwise lacks cohesion on key decisions, such as the election of the National Assembly Chair. She notes that Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov is ideologically very close to DB and stands significantly to the right of Vassilev, whose actions increasingly align him with Vazrazhdane Leader Kostadin Kostadinov.

Andreeva notes that DB maintains a stable and clearly defined voter base among urban democrats, which has remained consistent over the years. By contrast, CC is a political project that, like many similar projects, appears to be heading toward a complete collapse and eventual disappearance from the political landscape. In her view, the party is currently entering this phase of decline. According to her, DB is now ideologically stronger and likely enjoys greater electoral support.

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The Government will remain stable for as long as there is internal consensus, said Dobromir Zhivkov, head of the Market Links polling agency, in an interview with Bulgarian National Radio. According to him, he only real threat to the cabinet’s stability would come from public unrest.

Commenting on the opposition, Zhivkov said that CC–DB is under mounting pressure and sustaining a series of blows. He also noted that Bulgarian institutions appear to act selectively in certain situations, raising concerns about possible political repression. “We are witnessing chaotic and reactive behavior from CC, including their votes in Parliament on Friday. The coalition lacks a clear and structured position, which should be focused on what is happening in the Bulgarian administration of justice. The European Commission subtly tells us that there has been no development for so many years. We should be under no illusion that the euro area is a cure-all for our problems. We must work to have a justice system that puts everyone on an equal footing,” Zhivkov added. On the internal dynamics within the CC–DB, Zhivkov emphasized the need for a clearer partnership structure. He also addressed the possibility of further scandals involving CC representatives at the local level. He believes recent developments appear to follow a pattern or even a plan and would not be surprised if more similar incidents emerge in the coming weeks or months.

Zhivkov also commented on whether GERB Leader Boyko Borissov and Movement for Rights and Freedoms (MRF) – New Beginning Floor Leader Delyan Peevski are interested in holding parliamentary elections ahead of the presidential vote scheduled for autumn 2026. According to him, GERB currently has little incentive to push for early elections, while Peevski may eventually pursue a stronger result. “The timing of the next elections will likely be determined by him [Peevski],” Zhivkov noted.

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The opposition in the National Assembly looks as if it is in a vegetative state; its eyes are open but in fact it is totally paralyzed, SegaBG.com says in an analysis. The parliamentary opposition forces struggle more among themselves than with the powerholders. To the government coalition, supported by the Movement for Rights and Freedoms – New Beginning, all actions of their opponents, from no-confidence votes to daily verbal attacks, are more annoying than threatening. This means that the incumbents cannot fall from power unless they bring themselves down, which is not likely to happen any time soon, the website says.

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The delay between the issuance of the arrest warrant for Varna Mayor Blagomir Kotsev on July 2 and the enforcement of the actions on July 8 was intended to ensure that the pre-trial detention measure would be reviewed by a different judicial panel, rather than the one on duty at the time the warrant was granted, said on bTV’s morning programme Andrey Yankulov, senior legal expert at the Anti-Corruption Fund.

He pointed out the legal inconsistency in the handling of the case, noting that although the identity of the MP involved is known, no procedural steps have been taken to lift the person's immunity. “The absurdity lies in the fact that it is clear who the MP is, yet no action is being taken to initiate the process of removing their immunity,” Yankulov said. According to him, this is part of a recurring pattern in proceedings targeting specific political figures and should not be viewed as an isolated case.

“This is not how the system has operated before. If there is sufficient evidence, the correct step is to request the lifting of immunity. I don’t understand why pre-trial detention is constantly being sought, these are not murderers, rapists, or terrorists,” said Yankulov, adding that these are public servants who, until recently, were sitting at their desks and pose no threat of committing a serious crime.

He also noted that the Sofia City Court has exceptional jurisdiction in cases involving persons with immunity. Apart from the MP in question, no one else in the case falls under that category.

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“Our rights were repeatedly violated during and after the search. I wasn’t allowed to contact a lawyer, and they tried to take my phone,” said Varna Mayor’s wife Kamelia Kotseva, interviewed by bTV. She said that when she opened the door, expecting her husband who had forgotten his keys, she was shocked to find the hallway full of men who asked to enter. They allowed her to get dressed but told her not to close the front door and followed her.

Kotseva said she quickly realized the search was already public knowledge, as her phone was bombarded with messages and calls. “I was trying to find out what was going on, because the people who entered didn’t identify themselves. They noticed I was using my phone and told me to cease all communication with the outside world.”

She noted that some of the officials present appeared visibly uncomfortable. “The lead officer kept stepping outside to make phone calls for instructions. He openly said: ‘I have to ask what to do next’,” Kotseva said.

Kotsev’s sister, Bilyana Kotseva, claimed that her brother had been under intense pressure to join the MRF– New Beginning. “He began his political career in 2022. Not everyone welcomed the changes he tried to bring to the city, especially the local economic groups. It’s possible he came under pressure for being bold and attempting to disrupt the status quo in Varna,” she said.

ECONOMY & HEALTH

The geopolitical situation has helped Bulgaria obtain euro area membership as of January 1, 2026, Fiscal Council Chair and former finance minister Simeon Djankov said on bTV’s weekly programme “120 Minutes” on Sunday. According to him, US President Donald Trump and Bulgarian Finance Minister Temenuzhka Petkova are “responsible” for the final “yes” received by this country. Djankov explained: “In March, Trump said Europe should pay for its own security as America should no longer be expected to pay for everything. There was sudden commotion in Brussels over what should be done and how the budgets should develop. Our government, [Prime Minister] Rosen Zhelyazkov and [Finance Minister] Temenuzhka Petkova used the situation wisely, transferring some expenses from 2024 to earlier and later periods, and all of a sudden, we met the euro area membership criteria.”

Djankov does not expect taxes in Bulgaria to rise due to the country’s euro area entry on January 1. He predicts that new regulations will certainly be established to contain profiteering.

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The euro changeover in Bulgaria, planned to take place on January 1, 2026, will not put the country at the core of advanced innovations, highly productive technologies and economic growth, nor will it automatically raise the incomes of individuals and companies, Lachezar Bogdanov of the Institute for Market Economics says in an analysis published on Dnevnik.bg. Bogdanov quotes “a former finance minister” as warning that Bulgaria risks being left without a big strategic goal after January 1. The adoption of the euro does not eliminate the need for reforms and a sensible fiscal policy, the analyst argues. To catch up at least with those Central and Eastern European countries which have reached between 70% and 90% of the EU’s average GDP per capita (based on purchasing power parity), Bulgaria, where the level is 66%, needs high economic growth propelled by a steady rise in labour productivity over many years. This means that successive governments should implement policies which promote economic enterprise, innovation, investment and high-technology transfer, Bogdanov says.

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Every Bulgarian who, as a natural person, owns real estate in Greece should prepare for an income check by Bulgaria’s National Revenue Agency (NRA), 24 Chasa says in its main story. In such cases, inspectors usually look five years back. The campaign is in line with NRA’s policy of bringing undeclared incomes to light. Greece is by far the most preferred foreign country for property purchases by Bulgarians, but the checks will cover other countries as well. The aim is to see whether declared incomes match up to the value of the assets owned. Available data show that 4,329 Bulgarians own real estate in 68 countries. The number of owners increased by 20% in a year.

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A person who drives along the emergency lane on a motorway risks a substantial fine, Duma says on page one. A first offence will carry a BGN 1,000 fine and a three months’ suspension of the driver’s license, and a second offence will be punished with a BGN 4,000 fine and a six months’ suspension of the driver’s license. The penalties will become effective on Thursday, Regional Development and Public Works Minister Ivan Ivanov said, as quoted by the daily.

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Health Minister Silvi Kirilov described as a provocation, deliberate manipulation, and a lie the statement made by CC Chair Assen Vassilev regarding the National Multidisciplinary Children's Hospital, Trud reports. On Saturday, Vassilev claimed that the Hospital would cost nearly BGN 1 billion, with construction alone priced at EUR 4,000 per square metre, excluding equipment. Later on Sunday, CC released a position correcting the statement, acknowledging that the construction cost would amount to EUR 253.6 million excluding VAT.

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A young mother has alleged that she was subjected to physical and verbal abuse during the birth of her child at Mother’s Home, an obstetrics and gynecology hospital in Sofia, on June 25. In a Facebook post, she claims she was slapped on the face and hands by midwife Dr. Shikova, who also shouted at and insulted her during childbirth. On July 11, the hospital issued a statement saying the woman had not reported any misconduct, either verbally or in writing, during her stay.

Speaking on Monday on Bulgarian National Television (BNT), Dr. Shikova denied the allegations. “I have never touched a woman’s face in my entire practice. My only verbal interaction with Antonia [the mother] was following an examination, two hours after her anesthesia,” she said.

Relatives and supporters of the mother have called for a protest in her defence, BNT reported. They are demanding that Dr. Shikova be stripped of her license to practice. The protest is scheduled for Tuesday under the slogan “Stop Violence Against Mothers! Support Antonia!”

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

Artificial intelligence (AI) should be used as a sparring partner rather than being regarded as knowledge which can be acquired without any effort, futurist Mariana Todorova says in an interview for 24 Chasa. She says that people are inundated with information every day, and when we receive it without thinking and without letting it sink in as wisdom, it is not our information and is hardly of any use. Todorova is a member of two international groups, one under the UN General Assembly and the other under UNESCO, which work to address AI-related challenges. She says the UN General Assembly group has considered setting up absolutely free AI zones after the fashion of the former military towns in the Soviet Union in order to protect other areas from unforeseen events.

ARCHAEOLOGY

The ruins of an ancient palace of a Thracian aristocratic dynasty were unearthed by archaeologists in Vratsa, Northwestern Bulgaria, Nova TV said on its morning talk show on Monday. The existence of the palace had been suspected for decades. Georgi Ganetsovski, Director of the Vratsa Regional Museum of History, said: “There are ruins of a representative building dating from the 5th-4th century BC. The theory is that the king died far away, and this is the site of his symbolic burial.”