site.btaMedia Review: August 14

POLITICS – PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS

Dnevnik.bg examines the possibility of Bulgaria having a woman for president.

“Bulgaria is ready for a woman president. We, Bulgarian women, are strong, resilient, and well-prepared,” Vice President Iliana Iotova declared at the end of July, hinting at a possible run in next year’s presidential elections.

A week later, Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) leader Atanas Zafirov confirmed that the party is considering two potential candidates: Iotova and Parliament Speaker Natalia Kiselova. Meanwhile, the largest political force, GERB, is expected—as tradition dictates—to announce its nominee at the last moment, though party members have already speculated about Rosen Zhelyazkov and Boyko Borissov.

Right-wing parties are working to form a coalition that could unite around a single candidate, but according to daily Dnevnik, only male names are currently being discussed in those circles.

This means that just over a year before the vote, the only publicly mentioned contenders for Bulgaria’s presidency are women—an unusual scenario given the country’s low female representation in politics. But will parties genuinely back a woman for president, and is the country ready for such a change? Dnevnik sought answers from analysts and civil society experts.

The article traces the history and challenges of women in top political roles, starting with the “glass ceiling” concept coined in the 1970s. It notes that, globally, over a third of countries have been led by women, but Bulgaria has never had a woman president, with women reaching at most the vice presidency. Past attempts, such as the nomination of Tsetska Tsacheva, ended in defeat, reinforcing party reluctance to field female candidates.

Analysts say the 2025 presidential race could feature Iliana Iotova as a unifying opposition figure, though support may be based on her current public image rather than a conscious push for a woman president. Political scientist Milen Lyubenov argues that gender is less important than qualifications, but notes major parties rarely nominate women. Sociologist Parvan Simeonov says the belief that Bulgaria isn’t ready for a woman president is a false but persistent cliché.

Civil society voices, including the Bulgarian Women’s Fund and the Bulgarian Platform to the European Women’s Lobby, stress that patriarchal attitudes, party structures, and male-dominated nomination processes keep women out of leadership. Despite women holding 35% of leadership roles in the public/private sectors, they make up only 21% of MPs. Advocates call for gender quotas, sanctions for noncompliance, and structural reforms within parties.

Reports show women’s representation in parliament has stagnated around 20%, well below the UN-recommended 30%. Historical milestones include women gaining suffrage in 1944, the appointment of the first female minister in 1947, and only one female prime minister in Bulgaria’s history (Reneta Indzhova, 1994–1995). Recommendations from women’s advocacy groups include equality audits, mentoring programs, equal funding, and candidate list quotas to boost female representation.

WORLD – US–EU RELATIONS

Mediapool leads with a story headlined “Trump’s Tariffs. Their Effect on Europe and Bulgaria”.

Since returning to the U.S. presidency, Donald Trump has pursued a policy of “reciprocal tariffs,” targeting countries with trade surpluses, including the European Union—a key strategic partner. This approach has kept global markets on edge, combining repeated threats of high tariffs with ongoing negotiations, creating uncertainty for businesses worldwide.

A partial deal with the EU sets a 15% tariff on most European exports to the U.S., averting a full-scale trade war. However, the impact varies widely across member states: Greece faces concerns over indirect economic effects amid geopolitical and financial instability; Austria and Spain expect limited immediate impact; and the Czech Republic anticipates a slight GDP slowdown of 0.1–0.8 percentage points, mainly affecting automotive, machinery, and pharmaceutical sectors. Meanwhile, Hungary criticized the EU’s negotiations, calling the deal detrimental to European industry.

For Bulgaria, U.S. exports make up only 3.3% of total exports, yet the country expects a 32.8% drop in shipments to the U.S., with a potential 0.35% negative effect on GDP. Authorities are closely monitoring both direct and indirect effects, as Bulgarian goods often reach U.S. markets through other EU partners. The government and the EU continue advocating for a review of prohibitive tariffs on steel, copper, and aluminum, seeking quota systems or reductions to protect domestic industries.

The ongoing tariff saga illustrates how U.S. trade policy under Trump not only reshapes bilateral economic ties but also tests the resilience of global supply chains and the cohesion of the European Union in the face of rising protectionism.

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Trud leads with an interview with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban in which he alleges that Brussels has the ambitions of creating a United States of Europe. Orban told MTI that it is in Hungary’s interest to cultivate friendships and maintain good relations with the great powers.

“Brussels wants to build a United States of Europe, a kind of empire. Some countries like this ambition, others do not; Hungary is among the sovereignists and does not like the centralized bureaucracy in Brussels that tries to dictate how people should live in Hungary. We are sovereignists and fighters for freedom,” Orban said.

Orban explained that the war is not only between Ukraine and Russia, describing it as a “proxy war” between Russia and the West, to which Hungary belongs.

He emphasized that he maintains good relations with U.S. President Donald Trump, Chinese President Xi Jinping, and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

“I serve the interests of my country and do not want to join any group of states. I want to preserve a sovereign scope for foreign policy and maintain the national sovereignty of this country,” Orban added.

Criticizing the current state and ambitions of the European Union, Orban said the EU should serve its member states because “the European Union (EU) is not for Brussels and European institutions, but for sovereign member states.”

Regarding the recent trade agreement between the EU and the United States, Orban stated that the EU is in a losing position regarding tariffs, noting that one side has a “lightweight negotiator” while the other side has a “heavyweight negotiator,” which is evident from the outcome.

He also pointed out that the President of the European Commission does not have the authority to make energy purchases worth USD 750 billion or European investments worth USD 600 billion, as the European Commission lacks the financial resources to buy American energy or invest in the United States.

Orban stressed that the greatest risk lies in the commitment to arms purchases, which is included as a “secret” point in the trade agreement. According to him, this concerns the sale of weapons by the United States to Ukraine, which the European Union ends up financing.

ECONOMY

Capital leads with an  article about the possible sale of Lukoil’s business in Bulgaria to a Turkish-Azeri consortium.

Russian oil major Lukoil is advancing negotiations to sell its Bulgarian business, with a consortium of Azerbaijan’s SOCAR and Turkish holding Cengiz emerging as the frontrunner. The deal, covering some of Bulgaria’s largest energy assets, comes amid escalating regional geopolitical tensions that could complicate the transaction.

The sale includes the Burgas refinery, Bulgaria’s largest by revenue, which reported BGN 8.6 billion (USD 4.4 billion) in 2023, and Lukoil Bulgaria, the country’s leading fuel trader with revenues of BGN 6.3 billion (USD 3.2 billion) and over 220 retail outlets. Both entities are ultimately owned by Swiss trader Litasco, controlled by PJSC Lukoil of the Russian Federation.

SOCAR, Azerbaijan’s state oil company, brings refining and distribution expertise, including its STAR refinery in Turkiye. The Turkish construction and infrastructure giant Cengiz, known for major road, railway, and airport projects, adds logistical and operational capacity. Together, the consortium has signaled an investment of roughly USD 2.5 billion, targeting entry into Bulgaria’s fuel and service station market.

Other prospective buyers, including Hungary’s MOL, Kazakhstan’s KazMunayGas, commodity trader Vitol, and Turkish pension fund Oyak, remain in the wings should the SOCAR-Cengiz bid falter.

The timing of the sale intersects with rising tensions between Russia and Azerbaijan. In December 2024, an Azerbaijani passenger aircraft was downed by a Russian air defense system over the Caspian Sea, killing 38 people. In 2025, a diplomatic crisis escalated after ethnic Azerbaijanis were detained in Russia, two of whom died in custody. Russia has also launched drone strikes on SOCAR facilities in Ukraine, targeting pipelines that transport Azerbaijani oil and gas to Europe.

Earlier this month, Russian Ambassador to Sofia Elena Mitrofanova noted that Lukoil’s Bulgarian subsidiaries often face pressure from state authorities, making a potential separation plausible.

The sale marks a rare instance of Russian energy assets in Europe being put on the market under pressure following the Ukraine war, reflecting both the strategic importance of Bulgaria’s refining and fuel infrastructure and the influence of regional geopolitics on corporate decision-making.

Financial analysts highlight that while the Burgas refinery and Lukoil Bulgaria are relatively small compared to Lukoil’s global operations, the deal would allow SOCAR and Cengiz to establish a strong foothold in Eastern Europe’s fuel market, with significant growth potential in retail and distribution.

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Bulgarian National Radio: The revenue portion of Bulgaria’s 2025 state budget is expected to fall short by between BGN 3.5 billion and slightly over BGN 8 billion, according to an analysis by the Podkrepa Confederation of Labour on the expected performance of the budget parameters for this year. The report notes that the largest shortfall is likely to come from value-added tax (VAT) revenues.

According to the Podkrepa Confederation of Labour analysis, state budget revenues for 2025 are expected to range between BGN 46.4 billion and BGN 51.6 billion, compared with the planned BGN 55.2 billion. Expected VAT collections, set at just under BGN 25 billion in the budget, are projected at around BGN 20 billion.

The report emphasizes that VAT is entirely based on the consumption of taxable goods and services, and economists—including the Podkrepa Confederation of Labour—had warned that the budgeted collection targets were likely overestimated. Revenue from personal income tax is not expected to show major deviations, except if the eurozone enters a deeper recession, industrial production in Bulgaria continues to decline, or unpredictable U.S. tariff policies disrupt supply chains and decisions about closing or opening new production facilities. Excise revenues may experience a slight shortfall.

For 2025, capital expenditures are budgeted at BGN 5.4 billion, with BGN 1.8 billion spent as of June 30, representing over 33% of the annual plan—the highest mid-year absorption rate in recent years. The report attributes this partly to delayed payments from previous years and advance payments in the current year.

The analysis also forecasts that the social security system, which operates on a solidarity principle, will continue to accumulate steadily growing deficits, as it primarily taxes low incomes while high earners do not contribute their proportional share due to the existence of a maximum contribution ceiling.

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NOVA TV: Experts note that both citizens and business communities are showing higher levels of awareness regarding the adoption of the euro.

“There is a connection between people being well-informed and their acceptance of the currency. However, this topic is very broad and leads to significant public discussions, including concerns about price speculation,” Dobrin Ivanov of the Bulgarian Industrial Capital Association told NOVA TV. He added that, at this stage, price increases have not been observed, and citizens can remain calm regarding the adoption of the euro.

“The state has established legal mechanisms and provided the necessary tools to institutions to monitor the entire process. Businesses are also prepared, although not all sectors are fully ready,” Ivanov noted. He indicated that most of the changes required by October 8, the end of the so-called “grace period” for businesses and traders, have already been largely implemented.

“Some issues have arisen regarding fiscalization and dual pricing. There will need to be updates in receipts to show amounts in both euros and leva, along with the exchange rate used for conversion. Nevertheless, very few businesses are likely to exploit this for profit—customers remain the top priority,” Ivanov added.

“Confidence in institutions is increasing, but there are still worrying trends—one being strong public concern about speculative price increases,” said Rositsa Makelova from the Institute for Social Research at Confederation of Independent Trade Unions in Bulgaria (CITUB). She added that institutions are currently managing the issue effectively and noted that trade unions are also involved in the process.

“CITUB has signed a memorandum with the government to monitor the prices of certain essential goods and services. Over the next year, starting in June, we will also track price movements for products in the small consumer basket,” Makelova explained. She clarified that, so far, inspections have not revealed any unjustified price increases.

HEALTHCARE

bTV: Minister of Health Silvi Kirilov has issued an order prohibiting the export of a medication used in replacement therapy for patients with chronic kidney failure. The measure aims to ensure uninterrupted treatment and continuous access for Bulgarian patients.

The export ban is effective for six months, until February 15, 2026, and applies to the drug NeoRecormon, with the international nonproprietary name (INN) Erythropoietin (Epoetin beta), the Ministry of Health reported. The medication is supplied as a pre-filled injectable solution, administered one to three times per week to patients with chronic kidney failure, including those in the terminal stage.

According to the ministry, the decision to halt exports is based on an analysis of current stock levels, consumption patterns, and official notifications from the marketing authorization holder regarding temporary suspension of sales and delayed deliveries.

The Ministry of Health will notify the order under EU Directive 2015/1535, and, if necessary, will employ the emergency procedure to ensure immediate implementation. The goal of the measure is to reserve all available doses for Bulgarian patients and prevent interruptions in their therapy.

This story is covered by Bulgarian National TV (BNT) and other media outlets as well.