site.btaMedia Review: May 22

POLITICS

Nova, bTV, and other media present data from a survey commissioned by 24 Chasa and conducted by the Trend polling agency among 1,003 people over the age of 18 in the period May 11-18.

"Some 48% of people indicated that they would go out to vote. That's about 2,500,000 – 2,700,000 people. There is no particular surprise compared to the last Trend poll and compared to the last elections in April last year," Evelina Slavkova, a sociologist at Trend, told bTV.

According to her, parliamentary elections influence European elections by increasing voter turnout. 

About 20% of voters decide whether to vote and for whom in the last one week, that’s why political parties focus their efforts mainly on the very end of the campaign, she explained

"GERB now has a visible lead on the second political force, whichever it is, and this is not so much due to strong mobilization. The big question is which the second political force will be," Slavkova said, adding that the election campaign should sort out the picture. 

The difference between Continue the Change – Democratic Bulgaria (CC-DB) with 15.4% of voter support, the Movement for Rights and Freedoms (MRF) with 14.9%, and Vazrazhdane with 14.8%, is very small.

The Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) retains fifth position with 8.5% of the vote, followed by "There is such a People" (TISP) with 5.5%.

Because of the small differences in the percentages of the second, third and fourth in the ranking and because of the possibility of voting in the parliamentary elections in countries outside the European Union, the ranking of the formations in the parliamentary and European elections may be different, Slavkova pointed out. 

Below the barrier for parliamentary representation remain the Bulgarian Solidarity Coalition with 2.4%, the Blue Bulgaria Coalition with 1.8%, The Left! Coalition with 1.4%, "Bulgarian Rise" with 1.2%, and VMRO-Bulgarian National Movement Party with 1.1%.

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BNR reports that parties are spending less money on media advertising for the upcoming elections compared to previous campaigns, according to data from the Institute for Public Environment Development (IPED), which traditionally monitors 40 media outlets during election campaigns.

Compared to the 2-in-1 campaign in November 2021, the amount of money that formations are spending on political advertising has decreased a lot.

Just over BGN 587,000 has been spent by the parties for the first ten days of the campaign this year, compared to BGN 863,000 in 2023. There is a serious reduction in the money political formations are spending on campaigning through the media, according to IPED’s Iva Lazarova, chair of the Central Election Commission (CEC) Public Council. Campaigning for the European Parliament, Bulgarian politicians have spent BGN 102,000 so far, she said.

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Nova TV reports that a large-scale action against vote-buying is taking place in Sofia. Addresses are being searched, including in the Hristo Botev district. Currently there are 26 detainees and 7 pre-trial proceedings have been initiated, said Sofia Police Chief Lyubomir Nikolov.

He pointed out that the raid has found lists with names of people and amounts recorded against them, mobile phones, drugs, forged documents, etc. at various addresses. There have also been persons arrested for possession of drugs and illegal gas and air weapons, as well as for stealing a car and a luxury SUV. Some of those arrested have been convicted before.

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Wednesday’s media report that President Rumen Radev is visiting the Vatican and Italy on May 22-23. The head of State will lead the Bulgarian delegation, which is traditionally received in audience by the head of the Roman Catholic Church on the occasion of the Day of the Holy Brothers Cyril and Methodius, the Bulgarian Alphabet, Education and Culture and Slav letters, May 24.

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The Central Election Commission (CEC) is holding consultations with the parliamentary formations of the 49th National Assembly on the composition of the sectional election commissions abroad, BNR reports. The formations should submit proposals for members, including reserve members, for the polling stations where Bulgarians abroad will vote on June 9. Representatives of the Foreign Ministry are taking part in the consultations. 

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The caretaker government will approve the sale of equipment owned by the National Electricity Company through direct contracting to Kozloduy NPP. The meeting is also expected to decide on the allocation of additional funds in the budgets of the Ministries of Education and Science, of Culture, Youth and Sports, and of Health, the national radio reports.

CULTURE

After a protest action for more funding in the performing arts, actors are now worried that due to missed deadlines, the money may not reach the people and be returned to the budget, Nova TV reports. The protesters also demanded legal changes, but to date no work has been done on the issue. The current funding methodology does not allow performing arts to target smaller and poorer regions, because it is based on the money earned, not the number of spectators. Caretaker Culture Minister Nayden Todorov said the money would reach the people and work was being done to reduce the delay. He added that the funding system needed to change as it had led to over-commercialization.

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The 55th edition of the Sofia Music Weeks Festival will take place from May 23 to October 1 in two seasons - spring and autumn, the national radio said. Numerous international guests and prominent names will present a palette of chamber and symphonic concerts, choral and duet performances. Highlights with selected works, composers, established stars and rising talents will be at various locations in the heart of Sofia. Premiere works will be performed and master classes are planned. The initiatives of the festival will create the musical mood in the capital from May 23 to July 3 and - for the first time - in the autumn edition of the festival in September.

The focus of the musical event is on Bulgarian composers Pancho Vladigerov and Vassil Kazandjiev. Their works will be performed over the next two months under the motto "Anniversaries and Jubilees".

HEALTH AND SPORT

BNR runs an interview with Dr. Elena Kabakchieva, a neurologist and head of the Health and Social Development Foundation, which implements a model for integrated development in vulnerable communities.

"We work in very large communities - over 10,000. Even in these large neighbourhoods it was possible to see within a few years how people from the Roma community mobilize. You can see the hope, the motivation, that it's worth the extra effort - learning to be a good parent."

The Foundation works with both children and their parents. “We start with early childhood development. In the first 3 years, 85% of the brain's capacity is formed. At 5-6 years this window of opportunity closes. This is the age when successfully implemented measures and programmes can have the greatest effect. Another very important age is the period of adolescence - this is when important personality qualities are formed. The immediate social environment shapes the personality,” Dr. Kabakchieva said.

There are very few effective programmes aimed at developing parenting skills, she stressed.

The Health and Social Development Foundation works with collaborators from the Roma community. There are six centres operating in the country based on the integrated development model, employing over 100 people. They are supported by the municipalities, the neurologist explained.

The Foundation works in several areas in Sofia, populated compactly with Roma population, as well as in Kyustendil and Samokov. In her words, in the places where the Foundation is implementing the model, there is a growing interest in professional development and socialization of children.

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Nitrogen dioxide pollution in Sofia continues to be widespread and well above the official values published by government departments, according to new year-round measurements by the environmental organization “Za Zemiata” (For Earth), Dnevnik reports.

Moreover, concentrations have increased compared to 2023. The problem continues to be completely hidden to the Executive Environment Agency’s automatic measurement system, Za Zemiata points out. Their analysis has shown that the discrepancy stems from the improper siting of official measuring stations.

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The national television reports that the Bulgarian men's national curling team won first place at the European Championships in Scotland - the home of this sport. 

With nine wins out of nine matches, this is the first gold for the Bulgarian national team, after the silver at the 2019 European Championship in Romania.

Although the Bulgarian Curling Federation is self-supporting, the thirty years of experience of the Bulgarian athletes proved decisive in their victory.