site.btaMedia Review: September 12

THERE IS SUCH A PEOPLE, ALLIANCE FOR RIGHTS AND FREEDOMS WOULD NOT ENTER PARLIAMENT IN NEW ELECTIONS 

Segabg.com quoted a poll that public sentiment in Bulgaria is increasingly characterized by a sense of declining freedoms and growing concern over the concentration of political power. According to sociologist Dobromir Zhivkov from the polling agency Market Links, the public perceives a steady erosion of rights and a disproportionate centralization of authority within specific political circles and leaders. His comments accompanied the presentation of a new national survey examining electoral attitudes and public trust in institutions.

The study reveals that supporters of several key parties, namely Continue the Change-Democratic Bulgaria (CC-DB), Vazrazhdane, MECh, and Velichie, are among those most dissatisfied with both the performance of Parliament and the judicial system. This disapproval suggests a deeper political polarization and skepticism toward the effectiveness and impartiality of key institutions.

At the end of the summer, public enthusiasm for holding early parliamentary elections appears to be waning. While 41% of respondents support the idea of snap elections and another 23% are inclined to agree, a growing share of the population is either unsure (13%), leaning against the idea (6%), or firmly opposed (17%).

If elections were held today, the party landscape would remain relatively stable, with no dramatic shifts in support. GERB–UDF continues to lead with 22.8% support, maintaining its position as the largest political force. In second place is the CC–DB coalition with 13.3%, followed closely by MRF – New Beginning with 12.6%. Vazrazhdane stands in fourth place with 9.7%, while BSP ranks fifth with 5% of voter support. Two smaller parties, MECh and Velichie, are hovering near the parliamentary threshold, with 4.2% and 4.1% respectively.

Several other parties risk being excluded from Parliament altogether. Ahmed Dogan’s political project would fail to cross the electoral threshold, as would There Is Such a People, led by Slavi Trifonov, which currently garners only 3% support. One of the current coalition partners also falls into this category, further highlighting the volatility of Bulgaria’s political scene.

The survey does not account for a hypothetical political party led by President Rumen Radev. However, Dobromir Zhivkov notes that if such a party were to emerge, it would likely draw support from the segment of the population that currently abstains from voting — a group that has traditionally been disengaged but could become influential if mobilized.

WATER CRISIS

Interviewed by TrudNews.bg, Environment Minister Manol Genov says that 2025 is shaping up to be yet another very dry year, with reservoir volumes at their lowest levels in the past 20 years.

The total volume of water stored in the complex reservoirs as of September 1, 2025, is 3,475.8 million cubic meters, which is 53.18% of their total capacity, comparable to the very dry year of 2024 (on the same date then, the volume was 3,466 million cubic meters, or 53%). The priority is clear - drinking water needs. For all other purposes, including irrigation, restrictions apply. From reservoirs with low available volumes, water is not allowed to be used for hydroenergy. Small hydro power plants are allowed to operate only under regimes subordinated to water supply and irrigation, meaning every cubic meter of water from hydro plants is used for irrigation.

Genov says thanks to the water use restrictions introduced this year, water resource management in the country is much more efficient compared to last year, thus saving 12–13 million cubic meters of drinking water, over 70 million cubic meters of water for irrigation, and more than 400 million cubic meters for energy production.

According to the Minister, the major problem is water loss due to outdated and poorly maintained infrastructure, both in water supply and irrigation systems. The total water losses at “Irrigation Systems” EAD are 53.6%, with some places experiencing losses over 90% (for example, at Zhrebchevo reservoir, out of 103.6 million cubic meters of water taken, only 4.86 million cubic meters were delivered). The situation is almost identical in the Water and Sewerage sector. According to the annual report of the Energy and Water Regulatory Commission, total water losses in water supply systems for water operators reach 60.21%, with losses exceeding 70% in Montana, Pleven, Targovishte, Razgrad, Yambol, Haskovo, Dobrich, Sofia region, and over 80% in Sliven, Shumen, and Pernik.

INCREASING NUMBER OF FALSE POSITIVE FIELD DRUG TESTS FOR MOTORISTS

TrudNews.bg writes that although nearly half of all drug field tests administered by Bulgaria’s traffic police turn out to be false positives, the Ministry of Interior and the Ministry of Health continue to ignore the problem. This has prompted Ombudsman Velislava Delcheva to demand that both ministries release an official and public list of medications that trigger false readings on the widely used DrugTest 5000 device.

According to internal Interior Ministry’s statistics, in 2024 there were 2,333 cases where drivers tested positive using the DrugTest 5000 and subsequently gave blood samples for lab testing. Out of those, 1,095 came back negative, meaning 46% of the initial field tests were inaccurate.

This statistic isn’t just a technical issue — it translates into 1,095 people who were potentially wrongfully detained, charged, humiliated, and stigmatized based on faulty equipment and opaque procedures. These individuals now have legitimate legal grounds to sue the traffic police and prosecution authorities for damages.

More than two years ago, former Ombudsman Diana Kovacheva sent a similar letter in August 2023, urging the ministries to address the growing number of false positives and to publish the list of substances and especially prescription medications that could cause these results. That letter was ignored.

Meanwhile, blood test results can take months, leaving innocent people suspended from driving, facing legal uncertainty, social stigma, or even jail — all based on unverified, flawed roadside devices. Experts have long argued that DrugTest 5000 is not forensic evidence, and its results alone should never justify detentions or criminal proceedings.

Unofficial lists of “drug” medications flood the internet. Various lists of medicines that reportedly cause positive results on roadside drug tests by the traffic police are continuously circulating online. However, experts explain that these lists are usually taken and translated from other European Union countries, where some of the drugs are sold under different brand names. For this reason, they support the Ombudsman Velislava Delcheva’s demand for an “official” list. They even believe that once the list is prepared by the Ministry of Interior and the Ministry of Health), it should be published in the State Gazette, similar to what was done in Romania in 2023, where the police also use the DrugTest 5000.

NEW PROSPECTS FOR BULGARIAN METALLURGY

Mediapool.bg writes that Bulgarian metallurgy is shifting focus to a new market - supplying metals to the rapidly growing domestic defence industry, which is set to receive significant investment in new production capacities.

“We’ve been in talks for some time with the Ministry of Economy and Industry and with defence manufacturers, looking for opportunities to sell our products,” said Nikola Rangelov, chairman of the Bulgarian Association of the Metallurgical Industry, in an interview with Bloomberg TV.

He explained that the ferrous metallurgy sector has the capacity to produce all types of steel alloys needed by Bulgaria’s military factories.

“Such cooperation would not only provide a market for Bulgarian metallurgical enterprises but also ensure autonomy and independence for the defence industry from foreign markets,” Rangelov noted.

He emphasized that the trade war between the US and China poses a serious risk of sudden metal shortages. Therefore, if military factories turn to Bulgarian steel production, they will be better protected against raw material crises.

The Bulgarian ferrous metallurgy sector has seen a drop of 10–15% in recent years, with some companies reporting declines of up to 30%, according to the Bulgarian Association of the Metallurgical Industry. One of the main reasons is unfair imports from non-EU countries, which bypass tariff restrictions, such as annual quotas.

“Metal products are imported under incorrect customs codes, not the ones that are subject to quotas. For example, rebar used in construction enters the country as tool steel,” explained Nikola Rangelov.

Rangelov emphasized that the import quotas for third countries should be scrapped, and the European Commission must find a better way to protect domestic production from dumping.

“The effects of the metal tariffs introduced under Donald Trump’s administration are already being felt,” BAMI noted. For instance, Canadian aluminum, originally intended for the US market, is now flooding Europe. So far, the quantities are not enough to threaten European producers.

For Bulgaria, the Canadian aluminum influx is not currently a problem, as it doesn’t produce primary aluminum. The real risk for Bulgaria’s non-ferrous metallurgy would come if Europe were flooded with copper and copper products. Bulgaria is one of the largest producers of primary copper in the EU, and it does so while complying with the strictest environmental regulations. If such dumping occurs, it could severely affect one of the strongest and cleanest sectors of Bulgarian heavy industry.

STATE HOSPITALS' DEBT

An inquiry by Mediapool.bg to the Health Ministry reveals that nine out of a total of 61 state hospitals in Bulgaria have taken out bank loans totaling nearly BGN 100 million in order to repay overdue debts, refinance existing loans, and consolidate their obligations. 

Despite some hospitals continuing to accumulate new debt, overall overdue liabilities in the hospital sector have significantly decreased in recent years. This improvement is largely attributed to financial recovery plans, and access to commercial and state-backed loans.

Many hospitals have turned to bank loans because the interest rates on loans are far lower than the penalties and interest on overdue payments to suppliers.

As of mid-2025, the total debt accumulated by state hospitals in Bulgaria has reached BGN 698 million, marking an increase of BGN 59 million compared to the same period in 2024. Despite the rise in total liabilities, there has been a significant drop in overdue debt.

Overdue obligations now stand at BGN 30.8 million, which is BGN 15.2 million lower than the previous year. Over a four-year period, overdue debt has declined by more than BGN 70 million, down from BGN 103 million in September 2021.

This improvement is attributed largely to the implementation of restructuring and recovery plans, including loans from both commercial banks and the state.

A total of nine state hospitals in Bulgaria are currently repaying loans from banks, primarily taken to refinance old debts, cover overdue payments, or consolidate financial obligations: Lozenets Hospital (loan from Bulgarian Development Bank (BDB); Pirogov Emergency Hospital (Commercial Bank D); St. Anna Hospital – Varna (Commercial Bank D); Multidisciplinary Hospital – Burgas (Commercial Bank D); Multidisciplinary Hospital – Vidin (Commercial Bank D); Multidisciplinary Hospital – Vratsa (DSK Bank); Multidisciplinary Hospital – Silistra (Commercial Bank D); Specialized Orthopedic Hospital; National Cardiology Hospital.

BALKANS

Mediapool.bg writes that tensions between Bulgaria and North Macedonia have spilled over to satellite television.

After reports emerged in North Macedonia that free receivers would be distributed for watching Bulgarian TV channels, the Macedonian satellite television channel INTV announced that it would distribute free receivers to all Macedonians in Bulgaria, according to the local outlet Focus.

“In recent days, messages have been circulating on social media from Facebook pages backed by organizations from Bulgaria, aiming to mislead Macedonians. They claim that free receivers for watching Bulgarian television programs are being distributed in Macedonia. In response to this campaign, the Macedonian satellite channel INTV is launching its own initiative — free receivers for all Macedonians in Bulgaria who identify as Macedonian! Anyone interested can contact INTV directly, and the receivers will be delivered to them.!” the TV station said.

Due to high demand, the receivers will be distributed through Macedonian associations in Bulgaria.

This move came after the Macedonia Foundation announced that it would be offering one free account per day for access to Bulgarian TV.

BULGARIA - EU

Segabg.com writes that after five years, a European institution has officially confirmed the critical mistakes made by Boyko Borisov’s government during the most difficult years of the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite Bulgaria's privileged early access to vaccines as a member of the EU, the country ended up with a tragically high mortality rate, second only to Peru globally.

At the heart of the problem was the botched national vaccination plan, which prioritized government officials over the most vulnerable segments of the population — namely the elderly and those with chronic health conditions. This approach is now the subject of a legal case in Bulgaria, initiated by the Bulgarian Helsinki Committee.

The formal recognition of these failings comes from the European Committee of Social Rights (ECSR), a relatively unknown body in Bulgaria, based in Strasbourg, which oversees compliance with the European Social Charter, also known as the EU’s “social constitution.”

According to a statement from the Bulgarian Helsinki Committee, which was one of the organizations that submitted the complaint, the ECSR has now issued its conclusions. These findings will be reviewed by the Governmental Committee of the European Social Charter. If the violations are deemed prolonged or particularly severe, the committee has the authority to vote on issuing a formal warning. In more serious cases, it can submit a recommendation to the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe.

This is precisely what is expected in Bulgaria’s case - the country is now likely to receive official recommendations from the Council of Europe, following the conclusion that its government violated fundamental social rights during the pandemic.

The decision, although delayed, marks an important institutional acknowledgment of the mismanagement that contributed to Bulgaria's devastating outcomes during the health crisis.

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In a 24 Chasa interview, Dimitar Gardev, chair of the parliamentary committee for EU Affairs and EU Funds Oversight says that as Bulgaria borders both Ukraine and Russia, it suffers all the negatives from the imposed sanctions, the refugee wave, and at the same time, is even more affected than some other countries that only have land borders with the two countries. Bulgaria must be included in a new strategic approach to cohesion policy, under a mid-term update, that allows for 100% funding from the EU with a 9.5% advance payment. If member states choose, they can independently redirect funds for regions affected by water scarcity, infrastructure projects with so-called dual use such as roads, railway infrastructure, train stations, ports, airports, energy infrastructure and building housing for socially vulnerable groups and for regions with delayed growth.

CHILD OBESITY

TrudNews.bg quotes a UNICEF report, according to which 29.2% of Bulgarian children aged between 5 and 19 years are overweight, placing Bulgaria among the countries with the highest levels of childhood obesity in Europe. Worldwide, 188 million children suffer from obesity, which has now surpassed undernutrition as the leading form of malnutrition.

The UNICEF report covers more than 190 countries and shows that since 2000, the prevalence of underweight children aged 5-19 has decreased from 13% to 9.2%, while obesity rates have increased from 3% to 9.4%. Obesity now exceeds underweight prevalence in all world regions except Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia.

 According to the latest data, about 391 million children and adolescents worldwide, one in five, are overweight, and a large portion are classified as obese.

A major cause of the rising obesity rates is ultra-processed and fast foods high in sugar, refined starches, salt, unhealthy fats, and additives. These products dominate stores and schools, and digital marketing gives the food industry powerful access to young audiences, limiting children’s personal food choices.

The analysis also highlights the link between socioeconomic factors and children’s health, noting additional risks such as widespread use of digital technologies leading to reduced physical activity, and aggressive advertising and marketing of ultra-processed, unhealthy foods.