site.btaMedia Review: October 28

HEADLINES

Tuesday’s print media focus on economic, social and urban development issues. 24 Chasa reports that the price of new cars will rise by at least EUR 2,000, while another headline notes that 68 mayors have failed to learn how to use the BG-ALERT emergency notification system even after 18 months. Trud highlights concerns over teenage pregnancies under the headline “Children are giving birth to children and abandoning us,” and also reports on a prosecutor’s protest against the house arrest of actor Rosen Belov. Telegraph writes that Sofia has expanded by 150,000 new housing units, reflecting the capital’s continuing rapid urban growth.

The morning programmes of the Bulgarian National Television (BNT), bTV, and Nova TV focused on various topics. BNT discussed the potential impact of recent U.S. sanctions on Russian oil companies on fuel prices, as well as the opposition’s stance on the work of Parliament, presented by Vazrazhdane. Other topics included the implications of the European Court’s ruling against Bulgaria’s formula for heating cost distribution, the rise in fines related to encounters between people and bears, monitored through 14 camera traps, and the premiere of a charity song by Vladi Ampov–Grafa and Robi dedicated to the fight against cancer. bTV focused on the political position of the Bulgarian Socialist Party under the headline “At what cost does BSP stay in power,” featuring party MEP Kristian Vigenin, and also touched on the weather with the question “When will the rain stop?” Nova TV highlighted a sharp rise in shoplifting, reporting a 100% increase in thefts in shopping malls over the past year. Experts commented on the 2026 state budget, warning that Bulgaria could rank among the top seven EU countries with the highest social security contributions and may see an outflow of investments. Other reports covered muddy tap water in Veliko Tarnovo and a construction incident in Sofia, where fences from a metro excavation collapsed and hit a passing car.

The Bulgarian National Radio’s (BNR) Tuesday programming featured interviews on social, economic and political themes. Guests included Nadezhda Tsekulova from the Bulgarian Helsinki Committee, who discussed human rights and social policy issues; Georgi Vuldzhev, editor-in-chief of Ekip, who commented on the economic situation and fiscal policies; and Rumyana Buchvarova, sociologist, former interior minister, deputy prime minister, and Bulgaria’s former ambassador to Israel, who analyzed current political developments and international relations.

POLITICS

24 Chasa features an interview with political scientist Dimitar Ganev, who comments on the stability of the ruling majority and relations between the government and the president. Ganev says the authorities are likely keeping the “ministerial reshuffle” card for a moment of stronger public tension. He predicts that every effort will be made to preserve the parliamentary majority over the next year, after which President Rumen Radev will no longer be able to challenge the government from his current position. According to Ganev, symbolic repression against Radev would be a strategic mistake for the ruling coalition, as it could backfire politically. He also expects no drastic moves in the 2026 State Budget, citing the uncertainty caused by the “black swan” of price volatility.

* * *

The main problem at the moment is the complete lack of transparency in the agreements underpinning the government, sociologist and former interior minister, deputy prime minister, and ambassador to Israel Rumyana Buchvarova told the Bulgarian National Radio. “We do not know what the Movement for Rights and Freedoms (MRF) – New Beginning and GERB have agreed on, apart from supporting the government. The conditions of that support remain entirely unclear,” Buchvarova said, adding that for the public “everything remains in total darkness”. She commented that GERB leader Boyko Borissov was sincere in his statements about the reformatting of the government, but no longer has the strength to change the current situation. “With all his experience, Borissov can give an objective assessment of the situation. The question is whether that assessment will lead to the necessary political consequences,” she added.

ECONOMY

Lyubomir Datsov, member of the Fiscal Council and former deputy finance minister, told Nova TV that the new 2026 Budget seeks to preserve all the benefits enjoyed by certain groups and sectors financed from the state budget. He said that on the revenue side, social security contributions are expected to rise as early as next year, which makes no economic sense. Many of the decisions, Datsov noted, appear to be driven by political motives rather than by a comprehensive strategy. According to him, while some of the existing budgetary pressures are being eased by temporarily closing gaps, the underlying problems remain unresolved and will be carried over into 2027. Datsov commented that measures affecting direct taxes have an impact on economic activity. “Instead of stimulating investments, they will be reduced,” he said. He described the planned increase in social security contributions as “one of the worst decisions.” He also rejected the claim that Bulgaria has low taxes, noting that if social security contributions are raised, the country will rank among the seven EU member states with the highest such rates. He explained that higher contributions also increase the cost of labour, which may further fuel inflation “because consumption continues to be stimulated.”

Dobromir Ivanov, Executive Director of the Bulgarian Entrepreneurial Organization, told Nova TV that tension among businesses is growing sharply. It began with the increase of public sector wages, which also contributed to inflation. “In practice, money is being taken from some and given to others. The biggest problem is the lack of vision. We need to make the transition from a consumption-based economy to an investment-based one,” Ivanov said. He added that the government is trying “to patch up the current situation, even though there are other things that could be done,” and argued that several laws should be adopted to encourage investment and sustainable growth.

* * * 

Vazrazhdane MP Dimo Drenchev told BNT that incomes need to rise, but the process of setting the minimum wage is not transparent enough. He argued that the minimum wage should vary across different sectors. “In the arms industry, where revenues reach billions, there would be no problem to raise the minimum wage, while there are sectors that are not performing particularly well,” Drenchev explained.

* * *

Telegraph runs an analysis on urban expansion in Bulgaria, focusing on how cities across the country are growing through new housing developments. The report examines where construction is most active and how many new residential units have been added in different regions.

HEALTHCARE

Trud publishes an interview with Academician Dr. Grigor Gorchev, Director of St. Marina Hospital in Pleven, who announces that since February the hospital has been performing surgeries with a fifth-generation robotic system — the only one of its kind in Eastern Europe. Gorchev says that young doctors go abroad not for higher pay, but to practice modern medicine. He notes that St. Marina Hospital does not face a shortage of medical staff and highlights the growing role of artificial intelligence in healthcare. In the interview, Gorchev discusses the future of surgery, the integration of new technologies, and the reasons why many young specialists choose to build their careers in Western Europe, Canada, or the United States.

CRIME

Traders are reporting a 100% increase in shoplifting cases in the first six months of the year, Nova TV said in a report. "Various items are being stolen. In sports stores, thieves most often target more attractive and expensive products from new collections that have become popular among customers," said Galin Popov, Executive Director of the Association of Non-Food Retailers (ANFR). According to him, the secondary market for reselling such products is “very strong.” “In this situation, no one is stealing just to survive. The thefts are happening because there is a well-organized resale network,” Popov explained. He added that a significant rise in thefts has also been reported in construction and even furniture stores. “It’s difficult to steal a sofa or wardrobe, even dismantled, but the furniture chains that are members of our association sell a wide range of household goods. The most commonly stolen items are small, expensive, and easy to carry - cups, candles, tableware, cutlery, and bed linen,” he noted. An increase in thefts committed by minors has also been observed. The legal framework has not been updated in 15 years and currently provides for a fine of up to BGN 300 if the stolen goods are worth up to two minimum wages. “Fifteen years ago, the minimum wage was BGN 250, but now it is BGN 1,077,” Popov recalled. He pointed out that sanctions apply only to adults who are caught. “Investigations involving children are usually dropped as insignificant. In most cases, proceedings are terminated even when the culprits are caught, which is why children are increasingly being sent to steal,” Popov said.

MAGNITUDE 6.2 EARTHQUAKE HITS TURKIYE

Nikolay Miloshev, Director of the National Institute of Geophysics, Geodesy and Geography at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, told bTV that seismic activity in the area of last night’s earthquake in Türkiye is continuing. "It is completely normal for seismic activity to persist after such an earthquake. So far, there have been eight aftershocks with a magnitude above 4, and more than 50 with a magnitude above 3," Prof. Miloshev said. He added that the situation is very unpleasant for people in the affected area, as the ground shakes every 15 to 20 minutes.

FOREIGN AFFAIRS

Economic and political analyst Ruslan Trad says for Telegraph that the war in Ukraine continues without a clear end in sight, and that for Bulgaria this means elevated economic risk. Although the Ukrainian economy avoided a wartime regime, Trad notes that the protracted conflict and supply disruptions exert heavy pressure worldwide and particularly on smaller economies such as Bulgaria’s. He argues that investors must factor in heightened uncertainty, rising costs, and shifting production chains, suggesting the country may increasingly become a regional “hotspot” due to its strategic location and vulnerabilities.

ENVIRONMENT

Mediapool wirtes that a company controlled by businessman and lawyer Mladen Mondeshki intends to clear 14 decares of mature oak forest near Troyan in order to build a photovoltaic park. The project has drawn attention after Toma Belev, co-leader of Green Movement, flagged it on social media as a case of non-compliance with the EU environmental assessment directive, which requires that major land-use changes involving deforestation be subject to mandatory assessment. According to official documents, the local municipal council approved changes to the municipal master plan in January 2025, shifting the land’s designation from forest to industrial/renewable-energy zone. The regional environment office reportedly determined that no environmental-impact assessment was required for the change. Critics argue the decision undermines both forest-protection norms and climate-action goals, while Mondeshki’s company says the process follows legal requirements and denies wrongdoing.