site.btaMedia Review: August 18

All media outlets reported that Maria Filipova has collected the most points (15) after a hearing for the post of Deputy Ombudsman. Her candidacy was submitted to the National Assembly by Ombudsman Velislava Delcheva. Filipova is the current chairwoman of the Consumer Protection Commission. The Deputy Ombudsman is in the pool of officials among which the President can pick a caretaker prime minister, along with the the National Assembly Chair, the Governor or Deputy Governor of the Bulgarian National Bank, the Chair or Deputy Chair of the National Audit Office, and the Ombudsman.

TRUMP’S MEETINGS WITH PUTIN, ZELENSKYY

On Nova Television's morning show, international security and geopolitics expert Rumen Kanchev and international analyst Ognyan Dаskarev commented on what is expected from the upcoming Monday meeting between US President Donald Trump and his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelenskyy, after Trump already held such a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin. According to Dаskarev, the meeting between Trump and Putin sharply reduced the danger of a third world nuclear war. "It seems that Putin has agreed to the US and the EU guaranteeing Ukraine's security. In return, Putin wants the Ukrainian army to withdraw from Donetsk, promising to stop the fighting on the other fronts - Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, and parts of Sumy," he added. Kanchev emphasized that no agreement was reached in Alaska on the main issue - a ceasefire.  He said that without this, no meaningful agreement could be signed. "The goals that Trump had set for himself were not achieved, while Putin was welcomed with a red carpet and received his legitimacy. It even seems that there has been a shift in the US President's position," said Vessela Tcherneva, deputy director of the European Council on Foreign Relations. According to her, it is precisely these factors that have led to Monday's meeting at the White House. “European leaders will also attend the meeting so that a common approach can be found to end the war,” she added. "The meeting on Friday took place because Trump did not want to impose sanctions on Russia. Indeed, the question of what guarantees Ukraine will receive is fundamental - and Russia alone cannot be a guarantor for Ukraine," said journalist Angel Petrov.

The topic was also covered on bTV’s morning show. Former deputy defense minister Yordan Bozhilov stated that Russia is not showing any willingness to make significant concessions and that its goals since the beginning of the war have not changed. Prof. Yonko Mermerski, an interpreter at official meetings in the US, warned that the lack of a coordinated Western position could harm the negotiation process.

On Bulgarian National Television's morning show, journalists Chavdar Stefanov and Valeri Todorov discussed the conclusions from the meeting between Trump and Putin in Alaska. "Russia is very satisfied, Trump is not very satisfied. Everything depends on his meeting with Zelenskyy today. Putin has been rehabilitated, and the American President has backed down from an immediate ceasefire,“ Stefanov said. ”[French President Emmanuel] Macron, who was quite firm, now says that it is possible to recognize the occupation of the territories, but not legally. And that this could be a pretext for concluding a peace agreement," Todorov added.

Mediapool’s leading story covers the reactions before the Trump-Zelenskyy meeting. The media outlet quotes the US President as saying that Zelenskyy can end the war with Russia almost immediately, if he wants to, or he can continue to fight. “No getting back Obama given Crimea (12 years ago, without a shot being fired!), and NO GOING INTO NATO BY UKRAINE,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. Zelenskyy said he hoped the "combined strength" of the US and Europe would force Russia to conclude a peace agreement.

ECONOMY

On bTV's morning show, Institute for Analysis and Assessment in Tourism Chair Rumen Draganov said that although August is the peak month for summer tourism, the second half of the month remains part of the high season, even if there is a drop in prices in some places. Tourists who have not planned their vacation in advance and book at the last minute can take advantage of lower prices, especially in lower-category hotels. Discounts can reach up to 20% in the second half of August, and after September 15, even up to 50%. A bTV reporter visited the Black Sea resort of Albena. She found that the German market has grown by 44% compared to the previous year, and the Bulgarian market by 14%. Draganov noted that Bulgarian tourists are becoming more active, but they do not always stay in the hotels where tour operators expect the greatest interest. Many people rely on second homes, family properties, or small guest houses. However, interest in 4- and 5-star hotels is growing, especially for weekend trips. The topic of extending the summer season is not new, but according to experts, there is still no clear strategic approach. "Extending the season is done with new products in old markets," explained Draganov. According to him, even if planes fly with empty seats, they can be filled with tourists if alternative products such as wine tourism, spas, culinary weekends, or cultural events are offered.

***

24 Chasa features an article on the prices of Bulgaria's mortgage loans and housing. The daily quotes BestBrokers data, according to which the country ranks second in the world in terms of the most affordable mortgage loans – behind only Ukraine. Mortgage interest rates in Bulgaria are low (1.66%) compared to European Union Member States, which have more stable economies than the rest of the world. In Europe, only the Netherlands, Malta, Luxembourg, and Switzerland have lower average mortgage interest rates, with France, Germany, and Italy having rates similar to those in Bulgaria. In countries close to Bulgaria, loans are very expensive, the article states. The ranking shows that the average interest rate in Serbia is 9.9%, in Albania 5.54%, and in Romania 6.52%. Low interest rates on housing loans in Bulgaria, together with increased mortgage lending, are one of the main reasons for the rise in property prices. By the end of May 2025, the total amount of housing loans granted to households in the country had reached BGN 28.2 billion, with growth over the last 12 months standing at 20.67%.

***

Telegraph writes that five outbreaks of smallpox in small ruminants have been detected so far in the Municipality of Pavel Banya. A total of 250 animals have been exterminated. The measures introduced remain in force – clinical examinations, strict surveillance of the declared areas, bans on the movement of animals, and strict control of unregulated trade.

On its morning show, bTV reported that over 100 outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease have been registered in the Plovdiv Region alone, with farmers losing entire herds. Farmer Maria Petrakova is one of those who lost her entire herd after registering her first infected animal in order to protect other farmers. It took her 18 years to build up her lost herd. Petrakova urged her colleagues not to hide the infection because it spreads quickly. She received compensation from the State of BGN 200 per animal.

EDUCATION

The Bulgarian National Radio (BNR) reported on one of the European Union's programs for young people – DiscoverEU. It offers free train travel in Europe for 18-year-olds. For Bulgaria, this is a chance for young people to get to know the continent, make international contacts, and build personal skills such as independence and tolerance, according to the report. BNR featured an interview with Yordanka Chobanova, Head of the European Commission's Representation in Bulgaria. "Over 5,000 people have taken advantage of this program since 2018," she said.