site.btaMedia Review: July 29

POLITICS

Trud reports that Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov meets Moldovan President Maia Sandu in Chisinau on Monday and stresses that Bulgaria firmly supports Moldova’s EU integration, praising Chisinau’s resolve to pursue reforms, the rule of law and stronger democratic institutions despite challenges arising from Russia’s war in Ukraine.

Sandu thanks Zhelyazkov for Sofia’s backing and for the positive assessment of Moldova’s progress. Zhelyazkov, in turn, thanks her for helping convert the former Taraclia University into a full-fledged branch of Angel Kanchev University of Ruse, noting that more than 200 applications prove the branch is timely and needed by ethnic Bulgarians. “The campus lays a foundation for a sustainable Bulgarian educational and cultural presence in the region,” he says. Sandu notes increased interest in learning Bulgarian and welcomes the number of prospective students.

The two leaders review bilateral relations based on long-standing ties, shared values and the Bulgarian community’s role as a bridge of friendship. They agree that Europe must combat Russian hybrid attacks and disinformation and once again condemn Moscow’s aggression in Ukraine. Zhelyazkov says Bulgarian support for Kyiv will continue during the country’s recovery.

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Trud reports that a Gallup International Balkan face-to-face survey conducted from July 11 to July 23, 2025 among 800 adults gives GERB–UDF 25.7% support, keeping it well ahead of its rivals. Movement for Rights and Freedoms (MRF) – New Beginning ranks second on 17.6%, while Vazrazhdane stabilizes at 13.2%, sliding into third as Continue the Change – Democratic Bulgaria (CC-DB) falls to 12.6%. Coalition partners BSP-United Left and There Is Such A People (TISP) register 7.9% and 5.3% respectively.

Trud says within the nationalist segment, MECh draws 6.1% and Velichie 4.1%. Pollsters note that the Cabinet’s success in safeguarding Recovery and Resilience Plan funds and securing euro-zone entry boosts GERB–UDF, whereas corruption scandals in Sofia and Varna sap confidence in CC-DB. Leader approval stands at 22.5% for Boyko Borissov, 17.1% for Kostadin Kostadinov, 16.5% for Delyan Peevski, 14.8% for Radostin Vasilev, 13.4% for Slavi Trifonov, 8.7% for Atanas Zafirov, 8.2% for Ivelin Mihaylov, 7.6% for Asen Vasilev and 7.4% for Atanas Atanassov. The poll’s maximum sampling error is ±3.5% at a 95% confidence level.

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Trud reports that Varna mayor Blagomir Kotsev is appointed rapporteur in the European Committee of the Regions for the EU strategic approach to the Black Sea, acting mayor Pavel Popov says. The decision comes after Kotsev’s arrest on organized-bribery charges, which Popov calls recognition of Kotsev’s work for the city. Kotsev must submit a report for adoption at a plenary session in late January, after interim debates on October 1 or November 20. Popov adds that Kotsev stays involved in municipal management from custody, holding daily contact with the administration. He and the deputy mayors outline progress on BGN 35 million Recovery Plan projects to refurbish schools and social homes and list road upgrades.

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Bulgarian National Television, Bulgarian National Radio, bTV and Nova TV reported that Co-chair of Continue the Change – Democratic Bulgaria (CC-DB) Assen Vassilev has filed a defamation suit in the Varna District Court against key witness Plamenka Dimitrova, accusing her of making false, reputation-damaging claims that he had sought a share of a Varna public contract. Vassilev also submitted a separate criminal complaint for false accusation, insisting that any proceedings remain under Varna jurisdiction rather than be transferred to Sofia.

BNT recalled that the Sofia Court of Appeal had earlier this month upheld the pre-trial detention of Varna Mayor Blagomir Kotsev and municipal councillors Yordan Kateliev and Nikolay Stefanov, while releasing businessman Ivaylo Marinov on bail. CC-DB co-floor leader Nikolay Denkov said the eight-month-old case relied on weak evidence and served political repression rather than justice.

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24 Chasa writes that four Bulgarian politicians – former prime ministers Nikolay Denkov and Dimitar Glavchev, former defence minister Todor Tagarev and incumbent defence minister Atanas Zapryanov – appear in a Russian Foreign Ministry blacklist titled Examples of manifestations of Anti-Russian Sentiment. The register, issued for 2024 statements, groups them with figures such as US President Joe Biden, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and French President Emmanuel Macron. Moscow cites Denkov’s call to curb Russian propaganda in Bulgarian schools and media, Glavchev’s warning that turning the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant into a military base endangers global safety, Tagarev’s demand that history lessons exclude facts inspiring gratitude to Russia and his remark that Bulgarian arms flow to Ukraine directly or through third parties, and Zapryanov’s claim that Bulgaria is a target of hybrid aggression and that NATO must act firmly in the Black Sea.

Sofia’s Foreign Ministry offers no comment. Denkov says Russia invents new enemies to justify a “senseless” war that has already killed or wounded about one million people, while the other three stand by their earlier statements. The blacklist also names former NATO secretary-general Jens Stoltenberg and senior leaders from the United States, EU and G7. Separately, Bulgaria remains on a Russian roster of “unfriendly” EU states published in March 2022, and Moscow bans more than 80 European media outlets, including 24 Chasa and Mediapool.bg, at the end of last year.

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Duma reports that the National Council of the Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) approves six-month reports from Deputy Prime Minister Atanas Zafirov, the four BSP ministers and the parliamentary group. Zafirov says citizens expect practical solutions and the party delivers them after “four years of drift” and on the eve of euro-zone entry.

Regional Development Minister Ivan Ivanov reports that, through Zafirov’s mediation, a contract has secured nearly BGN 7 million in EU funding for the restoration of the Buzludzha monument. He outlines progress: all major infrastructure projects have resumed, 36 high-risk road sections have been reinforced, the toll system is now integrated with Interior Ministry data, and contracts totaling BGN 762 million have been awarded to seven water utilities. Energy-efficiency savings under the Recovery Plan now exceed BGN 4 billion.

Environment Minister Manol Genov reports that the ministry is reducing illegal dumping, preparing drought-response strategies, and proposing simplified water-use regulations for farmers. Social Minister Borislav Gutsanov is upgrading all nursing homes, introducing 254 new disability services, and closing 12 unauthorized eldercare facilities. Pensions have increased by 8.6% in line with the Swiss indexation mechanism, and the poverty threshold for 2026 will be BGN 764.

Youth and Sports Minister Ivan Peshev secures a record 31% budget increase to BGN 42 million, supporting federations, clubs, upgraded facilities, and youth programs.

Deputy floor leader Kiril Dobrev outlines parliamentary work: 32 bills submitted, 90 draft decisions prepared, over 120 questions to the executive, 86 amendments adopted between readings and six ministerial hearings initiated, all aimed at fair prices, regulated banking fees, equitable healthcare and delaying energy-market liberalization.

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Nova TV aired an interview with medical student Vasilena Dimitrova and trainee doctor Kalina Bozhilova, who noted that MPs were unable to reach consensus on a unified cross-party bill to increase junior doctors’ starting salaries, leading all four parliamentary groups to submit separate proposals. Bozhilova explained that the ruling coalition’s draft linked salaries to the sectoral collective agreement, a mechanism long opposed by protesters. Dimitrova cautioned that combining the new proposals would delay the process and risk jeopardizing the reform altogether.

The two met after junior doctors held another protest outside Parliament on Monday, accusing the government of failing to honor Deputy Prime Minister Atanas Zafirov’s early July commitment to finalize a pay agreement by the end of the month. Protesters anticipated that the final vote on amendments to the Healthcare Establishments Act would be postponed to September, following the MPs’ summer recess.

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Dnevnik writes that MRF – New Beginning leader Delyan Peevski announces on Facebook that he will table a bill this week to close the Counter-Corruption Commission, claiming the body is a “club” for the opposition. The move jolts the political field: Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov warns that shutting the commission risks Bulgaria’s Recovery Plan payments, while President Rumen Radev calls it a “parallel prosecution service”.

Peevski’s critics see a trap. Democratic Bulgaria Co-Chair Atanas Atanassov already urges abolition and replacement by a truly independent watchdog; later Continue the Change – Democratic Bulgaria (CC-DB) co-floor leader Nikolay Denkov says the coalition rejects closing the agency outright, blunting Peevski’s bid to pin responsibility on the opposition. GERB signals it prefers to keep the commission but fill it with current insiders, reinforcing doubts about neutrality.

Analysts note that even without the commission, prosecutions could still rely on the loyal State Agency for National Security (SANS) and the General Directorate for Combating Organized Crime (GDCOC). They argue that real reform would strip the commission of investigative powers or overhaul its appointment rules rather than dissolve it, yet any meaningful change faces resistance from the governing bloc.

With protests swelling over perceived rule-of-law decay, observers say Peevski’s proposal tests whether parliament will reform, scrap or simply rebrand a tool widely viewed as partisan.

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Bulgarian National Radio (BNR) reported that human-rights lawyer Mihail Ekimdzhiev called the push to abolish the Counter-Corruption Commission “theatre for the naïve,” arguing that MRF – New Beginning leader Delyan Peevski and GERB chief Boyko Borissov coordinated a bluff they know will fail in Parliament. Ekimdzhiev says the manoeuvre would allow the two leaders to trade political points while trapping Continue the Change – Democratic Bulgaria (CC-DB): if the coalition backs closure it hands critics fresh attacks, and if it opposes the move it appears to defend a body that targets its own members. He noted that Democratic Bulgaria Co-chair Atanas Atanassov has already spoken in support of the abolition, whereas CC-DB co-floor leader Nikolay Denkov has rejected it, fuelling internal tension.

Ekimdzhiev stressed that scrapping the commission would not curb selective prosecutions, because investigators could still lean on the State Agency for National Security (SANS) and the General Directorate for Combating Organized Crime (GDCOC). Real reform, he said, requires stripping the commission of investigative powers or rewriting the appointment process to guarantee independence. He criticized prosecutors for routinely requesting detention without evidence of flight risk, citing the case of Varna mayor Blagomir Kotsev, and warned that the commission’s large budget, modest asset seizures and rising damages claims inflict “tornado-scale” losses on the state.

ECONOMY

Telegraph reports that mortgage borrowing for property purchases reaches BGN 1.237 billion in the twelve months to June, 36% above June 2024 and BGN 223 million higher than May. The Bulgarian National Bank attributes the increase to favourable rates: the average mortgage interest stands at 2.43% and the annual percentage rate at 2.74%. One in three homes is bought with a mortgage; loan numbers fall while average amounts rise as prices climb.

Eurostat ranks Bulgaria second in the EU for house-price growth, with values jumping more than 15% in the first quarter of 2025 and about 20% in Sofia. Limited supply of new builds and “panic about the forthcoming euro adoption” drive the surge, broker Hristo Spasov says. Urban buyers look for modern, spacious flats, whereas suburban purchasers prefer single-family houses. Demand centres on move-in-ready properties even at higher prices.

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Mediapool.bg reports that the Health Ministry cuts its Recovery Plan scheme for outpatient care in small settlements from 300 to 100 clinics and doubles the grant per site to BGN 82,609. The new call provides 100% funding worth BGN 8.26 million, open to municipalities serving villages with over 100 residents. Successful projects may build or refit premises or buy container-type units, while a separate procedure will cover equipment and furniture. A ministerial panel will rank the applications and award financing to the 100 best proposals.

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Capital reports that Sofia Mayor Vasil Terziev proposes transferring the municipality’s operational funds from Municipal Bank to one of Bulgaria’s five largest banks. However, the city council’s finance committee delays the initiative after Blagovesta Kenarova of Continue the Change introduces a motion that gains backing from GERB, BSP, There Is Such a People, former Vazrazhdane members, and VMRO’s Karlos Kontrera.

Terziev argues that the current bank enjoys a monopoly and has opaque ownership, whereas Kenarova insists the proposal lacks analysis of existing problems, fees and a clear selection methodology. About BGN 10-20 million a day flows through Municipal Bank, while up to BGN 200 million already sits in short-term deposits across seven other banks. Terziev says he will resubmit the report in September.

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Capital reports that the National Railway Infrastructure Company launches a BGN 114 million tender to design and build the last 2.4 km of track from Gyueshevo to the North Macedonian border and to upgrade Gyueshevo station into a Schengen passenger-freight checkpoint. Bidders have until September 5, and all work must finish by end-2028, with the final 420 m starting after the cross-border tunnel is drilled. A separate BGN 462 million call seeks a mid-2029 upgrade of the 17-km Pernik–Radomir section to double track, 160 km/h speeds and fully grade-separated crossings. Both contracts form part of Corridor VIII, the long-delayed rail link that is to connect the Adriatic and Black seas via Albania, North Macedonia and Bulgaria.

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bTV reported that European Commission spokesperson Anna-Kaisa Itkonen said Brussels had monitored the Bulgarian wildfires via the Copernicus satellite system and had already deployed five helicopters and two Swedish planes under the EU Civil Protection Mechanism. Speaking to reporter Gergana Venkova, Itkonen explained that the EU’s Summer Fleet had been mobilized in May and could be redirected as the crisis evolved; the Commission therefore remained in constant contact with Sofia and stood ready to send additional assets if the blazes expanded.

She noted that the seasonally pre-positioned fleet comprised 655 firefighters from 14 member states, 22 water-bombing aircraft and four helicopters based in France, Greece, Spain and Portugal, ensuring rapid response to the worst-hit regions. Itkonen added that forest fires had grown more frequent across south-eastern Europe, driven by extreme weather linked to climate change, and stressed that the EU’s new climate policies and next multi-annual budget would give vulnerable regions better access to funds for prevention and response.

SOCIETY

Trud and Telegraph report that aspiring doctors and healthcare professionals stage a protest outside the National Assembly on Monday evening under the banner “Future in Bulgaria”, demanding starting salaries equal to 150% of the average wage, or BGN 3,600 gross. “We will continue until our voices are heard; otherwise the protest may end at Terminal 2, because abroad needs staff,” organizer Vasilena Dimitrova says. She claims other sectors receive better treatment when they demonstrate and that the public debate is clouded by misinformation. Protesters dismiss as token the draft amendments to the Healthcare Establishments Act, adopted at first reading last week, which would slightly raise initial pay for nurses and newly graduated doctors. Police monitor the rally as participants wave Bulgarian flags and brandish signs that read “We want healthy healthcare”, “Medical work is not worth BGN 150” and “We take care of you, who takes care of us?”.

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BNR reported that more than 20,000 people had toured the ancient city of Heraclea Sintica in the first half of 2025 and over 60,000 had visited during the previous twelve months. Excavation director Lyudmil Vagalinski told BNR that the high season was already under way and daily traffic had reached 900 tourists at peak times last year.

Vagalinski said archaeologists had unearthed rich finds in the necropolis: more than 140 graves spanning the 4th century BC to the 4th century AD, large quantities of bronze and several silver coins shedding light on the city’s trade links, gold jewellery, diverse terracottas and ceramic lamps. He added that the material would be published in a book for the wider public.

Vagalinski argued that Bulgaria needed a long-term strategy for promoting its historical heritage, warning that funds were often spent without clear focus and that the country tended to react after events rather than plan ahead.

WILDFIRES

Trud reports that Fire Safety and Population Protection Directorate Chief Commissioner Alexander Dzhartov says about 3,000 hectares are affected by the wildfire near Ilindentsi, Strumyani Municipality, Southwestern Bulgaria. Morning calm allows intensive ground and air operations, but strong afternoon winds temporarily halt helicopter flights before four aircraft resume work. Dzhartov explains that full containment will take time because firefighters must secure the entire perimeter. He indicates that wind speed in the area begins to drop, yet gusts still endanger crews. The commissioner recalls that Monday is the second most difficult day of the month, with 269 fires driven by shifting gale-force winds, but professional teams limit losses. He notes that calmer weather leaves about 100 active fires nationwide, which crews quickly localize and extinguish.

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Trud also reports that Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov says this year’s wildfire-response organization is better than last year’s. He visits Strumyani to inspect suppression efforts and, with operations staff, analyses national conditions. Zhelyazkov notes that strong winds slow progress, yet the improved system and the EU mutual-aid mechanism bring teams from Czechia, Slovakia, Hungary and France, with two Swedish aircraft due on Saturday. He reminds the public that over 95% of fires stem from negligence or intent. The premier says helicopters drop water every five minutes, but the Strumyani front remains extensive and windy, though no homes or lives are at risk. Zhelyazkov adds that Bulgaria will secure enough aerial firefighting capacity; acquiring new aircraft takes at least three years, and he awaits an Air Force assessment of last year’s proposal to purchase Spartan planes. The incoming Swedish aircraft can carry three tonnes of water.

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24 Chasa writes that, for the first time, arsonists who spark deliberate fires are charged with terrorism. Prosecutors indict Stoyan Denchev of Veliko Tarnovo, Central Bulgaria, and a 41-year-old man from Sliven, Southeastern Bulgaria, under Chapter One of the Criminal Code, which carries five-to-fifteen years in prison. Local officials transfer the investigation to Sofia seeking a stiff sentence, and on Monday Sofia City Prosecutor Mariana Dimitrova detains Denchev for 72 hours and will ask the court for permanent custody on Tuesday after consultations with counter-terror magistrates. Acting Prosecutor General Borislav Sarafov orders the 33-year-old to be escorted to the capital.

A municipal camera films the blaze between the boroughs Buzludzha and Cholakovtsi that rouses residents early Sunday. Mayor Daniel Panov reports that video footage captures the perpetrator, a repeat offender from Dryanovo, making two unsuccessful attempts before setting dry grass on fire on the third try. Panov notes that significant human and technical resources were used to contain the blaze and calls for the strictest penalties. Eyewitnesses celebrating a birthday alerted authorities, and police confirm that two of Denchev’s previous convictions are related to public-order violations. In Sliven, the second suspect allegedly sets grassland alight; he, too, has a criminal record.

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BNT aired an interview with former caretaker interior minister Ivan Demerdzhiev, who said that firefighters, police, defence personnel, foresters and volunteers had again displayed self-sacrifice and professionalism in battling blazes nationwide, yet their efforts could not substitute for the missing on-site political leadership of the ruling coalition. Demerdzhiev said the responders “managed but were given neither the conditions nor the coordination they needed”, arguing that the state was absent where it mattered. He added that wildfires had become a grim routine in Bulgaria, reflecting deeper, long-smouldering problems in public life.