site.btaMedia Review: October 30

Thursday media is dominated by political developments surrounding Bulgaria’s coalition government, the rotational formula for the Parliament Chair, and the drafting of the 2026 state budget, alongside widespread public concern over municipal waste-collection crises.

ECONOMY AND FINANCE

Former Finance Minister Simeon Dyankov said on the morning show of Bulgarian National Television (BNT) that the dispute over the minimum wage will likely be resolved before the draft 2026 budget reaches parliament. He noted the coalition’s internal tensions and warned of ongoing deficit concealment, predicting a possible fiscal crisis by 2027. 

Former Socialist Party leader Korneliya Ninova, leader of the new Defiant Bulgaria party, criticized the draft budgets for state social security and the National Health Insurance Fund as the most anti-social in recent years, claiming they harm workers and small businesses, while money is being poured into systems without reform, according to bTV.

Mediapool.bg quotes private pension funds, seeking to invest in infrastructure to improve returns for citizens’ savings. Bulgarian Association of Supplementary Pension Companies proposed allowing investments in digital, water, and transport infrastructure, following international best practices.

Sega.bg, Capital.bg and 24 Chasa report a Lukoil announcement that it has received an offer from Gunvor Group to acquire its international business through Lukoil International GmbH. The sale, triggered by US sanctions, will take place in Vienna and, if approved by European and US authorities, could prevent an oil supply crisis in the Balkans.

Capital.bg reports on Mondelez investment of BGN 2.5 million to digitalize chocolate production at the Svoge factory, implementing IoT applications and training staff in automation and data analytics.

POLITICS

Duma quotes Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) leader and Deputy Prime Minister Atanas Zafirov saying that Bulgaria will remain the only EU country with a flat tax unless the system is reformed. Speaking at a Podkrepa Labour Confederation discussion, he said reforms could not be introduced in the 2026 budget but might be considered in 2027. Zafirov noted that restoring seniority-based pay for civil servants would cost around BGN 250 million, and that financing this and other underfunded sectors requires tax reform. He called for political, civic, and trade-union unity, pointing out that many public-sector employees receive “humiliatingly low” wages.

Duma quotes Eurocom TV about Alexander Simov, BSP National Council member, saying that the party’s acceptance of the rotational formula in government was difficult but necessary to ensure dialogue and avoid early elections. He praised Nataliya Kiselova for “choosing to save the country” and stressed that the government is a test for BSP, which aims to implement parts of its pre-election promises. Simov outlined the party’s priorities for the 2026 budget: abolishing the flat tax, introducing a tax-free minimum, and taxing corporate profits.

Former agriculture minister Mehmed Dikme, interviewed by BNR, said the election of Raya Nazaryan as Parliament Chair will stabilize governance and ease tensions within the coalition. He stressed that the government cannot function without MRF-New Beginning and highlighted Delyan Peevski’s key role in party influence. Dikme predicted political reformatting in 2026, with potential new projects or alliances, and noted that a unified right-wing coalition of smaller parties could significantly impact future elections. He also warned that if the President enters active politics, the biggest threat would be for BSP.

During Parliament's sitting Thursday, GERB leader Boyko Borissov signed Democratic Bulgaria’s motion for removal of Anti-Corruption Commission chair Anton Slavchev, as reported by BNT.

Meanwhile, Nova TV and other outlets noted that the parliament overrode President Rumen Radev’s veto on revisions to the law governing the State Intelligence Agency which authorize Parliament to appoint and dismiss the Agency chair. Radev had returned the amendments citing risks to the Agency's independence and the potential politicization of appointments.

SOCIETY AND SOCIAL SERVICES

Residents of Sofia’s Lyulin and Krasno Selo districts protested over nearly a month-long garbage collection crisis, citing the absence of waste trucks after previous contracts expired. Izgrev, Slatina, and Poduyane districts remain without cleaning services. Protesters planned to block major intersections, while municipal authorities have temporarily deployed Sofekostroy for collection services and are phasing in normal operations (Trud, BNT, Nova TV, Telegraph.bg). Municipal councilor Simeon Stavrev of Continue the Change ‑ Democratic Bulgaria (CC-DB) reported that staff from the former private waste-collection company are transferring to the City Waste Treatment Enterprise, raising concerns about potential unfair competition (Nova TV).

Bulgaria continues to lead the EU in hospitalizations per 100,000 people, with over 9 million hospital days reported in 2025. Emergency admissions constitute about half of all cases, and children are frequently hospitalized for pneumonia and bronchiolitis. Seasonal flu and rising COVID-19 cases are increasing pressure on health services, with doctors urging vaccination and caution regarding unnecessary antibiotic use (Trud, Telegraph.bg).

A Trend survey cited by Trud shows that supernatural and conspiratorial beliefs remain widespread in Bulgaria: 34% believe in life after death, 31% in reincarnation, 65% in karma, and nearly half in a predetermined fate. Around 38% have visited a fortune teller or psychic, and a significant part of the population believe in secret societies and astrology.

Telegraph.bg reports that customs officers at Kapitan Andreevo seized gold jewellery worth BGN 223,475 hidden in a yoghurt bucket during a bus inspection. 

Mediapool.bg reports that the theatre school founded by Culture Minister Marian Bachev prior to his ministerial appointment, has operated illegally at a community centre in Sofia for 10 years. That transpired during an inspection following a scandal involving actor Rosen Belov, who teaches acting to children in the said community centre.

BNR announces that for the 12th consecutive year, the “Awakener of the Year” campaign will honour Bulgaria’s most outstanding personalities of 2025. The winners will be revealed during a broadcast on bTV on November 1.

DEFENCE AND SECURITY

A Capital.bg story says that the Bulgarian Armed Forces has requested triple the amount of artillery previously planned. The author argues that the Bulgarian army can solve its mobile artillery support needs for the next 20–30 years.
All combat formations that would be first activated under NATO’s Article 5 will each receive a division equipped with modern NATO-standard howitzers. The decision to prioritize artillery is strategically linked to Bulgaria’s intention to develop domestic production of shells and propellant, the story also says.

TECHNOLOGY

BNR reports European Parliament proposals to use AI for monitoring private correspondence to detect violence, pornography, or other crimes, and says such proposals are raising privacy concerns. Bulgarian MEP Kristian Vigenin warned of potential breaches of correspondence secrecy and abuse. He also discussed AI-based age verification on social media to protect children, emphasizing that technology should serve humans and uphold privacy, dignity, and critical thinking.