site.btaMedia Review: May 28

POLITICS

In a spread interview for Telegraph, social scientist Evelina Slavkova cited data from Trend, according to which GERB-UDF will gain the most votes after the parliamentary snap elections on June 9. She said that GERB-UDF's first place can be explained not with their strong performance but with their opponents' weakness, particularly that of Continue the Change - Democratic Bulgaria (CC-DB). Currently GERB leads over CC-DB by about 10%, which Slavkova believes will remain unchanged by the time of the elections. Three political forces will contend for the second place: CC-DB, Vazrazhdane and the Movement for Rights and Freedoms. Slavkova said that the second biggest party in Parliament will determine the format of the Cabinet. For example, if the far-right Eurosceptic party Vazrazhdane is the second force in Parliament, then forming a coalition between GERB and the other pro-European parties would be justified as a means to limit Vazrazhdane's power. On the other hand, if CC-DB ends in second place, then GERB would find it hard to avoid potential coalition talks with them. According to the expert, low voter turnout, which is expected in June, means that no significant changes compared to the previous elections should be expected. She shared that about 20% of voters choose for whom to vote in the last two weeks before the election date.

* * *

In a recent interview with Trud News, sociologist Prof. Rumyana Kolarova analyzed the potential political landscape post the June 9 elections. Kolarova underscored the uncertainty over the country's second political force, with the current coalition Continue the Change – Democratic Bulgaria (CC-DB) in a tight race against the Movement for Rights and Freedoms (MRF) and Vazrazhdane. She attributed the waning support for CC-DB to reputation-damaging incidents and a targeted campaign against them but suggested the impact could diminish by election day barring further incidents.

Kolarova also speculated on the possibility of another coalition between GERB and CC-DB, contingent on the relative support for pro-European and anti-European parties. She proposed that a coalition between GERB and MRF could only avert electoral disaster through judicial reform, beneficial to both but expressed scepticism about its feasibility.

Kolarova concluded by cautioning that the threat of protests is not the primary deterrent to such a coalition, and that the final answers will only be unveiled on election day.

FINANCE

Caretaker Deputy Finance Minister, Metodi Metodiev, has indicated that the Bulgarian Parliament may vote on the Euro Act by summer's end, bTV reported. The Act has been in development for 18 months, and it follows the experience of Croatia as a blueprint. The Minister also addressed current inflation rate concerns, stating that the Ministry of Finance's models predict Bulgaria will meet the only unmet criterion, which is inflation, by year's end. Metodiev confirmed that Bulgaria could request an extraordinary convergence report, if needed.

ECONOMY

Telegraph's front page reports that some 13,900 workers can be retrained for a new job for free under the Operational Programme Human Resources Development 2021-2027. Some BGN 50 million has been allocated for the project, which can have individuals retrained to become dental assistants, paramedics, opticians, librarians, geodesy experts, actors, musicians or other. The National Employment Agency has already launched the candidacy process, where people can apply for vouchers online. The project is scheduled to end at the end of 2025.

* * *

Chief Executive Officer of Tavex, Max Baklayan, told Telegraph that last year the largest investment gold trader in Bulgaria sold three times as much gold as in 2020. The rate of purchasing gold remained high in the first quarter of 2024 despite an 800% spike in the price of gold from USD 259 per troy ounce in May 2000 to more than USD 2,300 in May 2024. Expert Martin Milanov told the daily that while gold is an insurance against inflation, it should not be purchased speculatively.

HOUSING

Trud News reports that Plovdiv has surpassed Sofia as Bulgaria's premier region for large new home constructions, according to the National Statistical Institute. In quarter 1, Plovdiv introduced 67 new homes with five or more rooms, outdoing Sofia's 63. Other regions, including Burgas, Stara Zagora, Pazardzhik, Pernik, and Haskovo, also reported double-digit figures for large new homes. Sofia relinquished its top spot for total new homes introduced, with Burgas leading with 597 new homes, followed by Sofia's 548, and Varna's 394. The data also underscored a disparity in construction activity between the country's northern and southern parts, with the Southwestern region, including Sofia, being the most active. Buyers showed a preference for larger apartments, but two-room apartments remained popular for investment purposes. The quarter saw the introduction of 1,026 residential buildings, housing 3,475 new homes, with a total useful area of 353,200 square metres.

GLOBAL STAGE

In an interview for the Bulgarian National Radio, political scientist Tatyana Dronzina discussed the war in Ukraine and the conflict in the Middle East. Dronzina said: "None of the goals Israel set for itself, the destruction of Hamas and the return of the hostages, have been achieved. That is why the fierce fighting will not stop." She noted that Israel killing civilians and destroying previously inhabited areas is giving rise to increasingly pro-Palestinian movements across the EU and the US alike. The expert said that if the status quo persists, the only winner will be Iran, while the losers will be Israel and the US, as support for them will decline. "If things keep going this way, America will have to support Israel and Ukraine, and in fact America's big problem is China," Dronzina said.

She was adamant that finding a peaceful solution to the war in Ukraine would be difficult without support from China. The expert noted President Rumen Radev's absence from the NATO Parliamentary Assembly that took place in Sofia between May 25 and 27 and spoke about the upcoming Summit on Peace in Ukraine that will take place in Switzerland between June 15 and 16. She said: "I expect a different position of Bulgaria, if the Bulgarian President is there. I expect him to be more reserved. I expect his position to be different from most NATO member states."

TRANSPORT

Duma, Trud and Telegraph quote a Nova TV interview with caretaker Minister of Transport and Communications Georgi Gvozdeykov, in which he unveiled a plan to upgrade the Sofia-Burgas high-speed rail line by 2027, with projected speeds of up to 160 km/h. This would cut the journey time between the two cities to a mere three hours. The first batch of 19 second-hand carriages, procured from Germany's Deutsche Bahn and capable of 200 km/h speeds, will be rolled out as of mid-June. Gvozdeykov also confirmed a contract with a Swiss firm for eight double-decker trains, with funding efforts underway for three additional units. The tender process for 35 single-deck motor train units has been finalized.

* * *

Rail commuters to Sofia experienced significant delays on Monday due to a software glitch at Sofia Central Station. The disruption, which saw several trains cancelled and others delayed by up to two hours, lasted from 7 pm to 10.30 pm, as reported by bTV and confirmed by the National Railway Infrastructure Company. The organisation attributed the delays to a software issue in the station’s temporary interlocking system and said an investigation involving the system vendor is ongoing.

TRAFFIC

24 Chasa newspaper reported that the Council for Criminological Research has examined the decade-long rise in road incidents. Measures including imprisonment for road fatalities and mandatory substance testing were discussed in a meeting led by the Sofia City Prosecutor's Office. Legislative changes are expected in September. Caretaker Justice Minister Maria Pavlova stressed the need for a change in attitudes towards road safety and acknowledged the struggle of victims' families. Sofia City Prosecutor Iliana Kirilova highlighted the potential of drones for road safety and criticized the neglect of road safety in parliament. The task of securing roadside space, assigned in May 2023, remains unfulfilled, with victims' families demanding tougher punishments for guilty drivers.

TOURISM

An article in Duma based on a bTV interview with concessionaire Nikolay Dimitrov reports that the price of renting an umbrella and a sun lounger on the beach will increase by about 10% year-on-year. Prices for both will range between BGN 8 and 10.

ENVIRONMENT

Nova TV reported on Tuesday morning about an experiment they performed, which suggests that air in the capital may be dangerously polluted. According to Nova, while there are no established standards for the acceptable levels of ultrafine particulate matter in the atmosphere, the World Health Organization low values are below 1,000 particles per cubic metre. The experiment established over 60,000 particles per cubic metre in one spot near a busy boulevard in Sofia. Another problem that was detected was the high level of nitrogen dioxide, whose main source is cars.

HEALTHCARE

Head of the Bulgarian Emergency Medical Service Association, Dr Desislava Katelieva, told Telegraph that emergency medicine should be introduced as an obligatory discipline as part of the medical curriculum in universities and colleges. Katelieva noted that while working in this field is tough, it is extremely beneficial to society. The expert shared that since emergency medicine is not obligatory at the moment, some students are not even aware that they can take it as a course.

EDUCATION

Education Minister in the caretaker Government, Professor Galin Tsokov, is considering the transition of state exams for school students to electronic platforms, as reported by 24 Chasa and Duma newspapers. Tsokov cites recent inaccuracies and oversights in paper-based exams as the primary motivation for this shift, asserting that digital devices could mitigate these issues. The proposed change would necessitate discussions with parents and educators and would likely result in increased funding for schools. Tsokov has expressed his intention to endorse this plan to his successor following this year's parliamentary elections.

SOCIETY

The front page of Trud News quotes Doctor Plamena Stoimenova of Plovdiv's Medical University, who expressed alarm over the rising trend of vaping among children aged 6 to 9. A study involving 700 participants revealed a significant number of children in this demographic have experimented with vaping, often acquiring e-cigarettes under the guise of buying for their parents.

Stoimenova cautioned that habits established at such a tender age can be exceedingly challenging to break later in life. The study discovered that 22% of respondents aged 13 to 15 favoured vaping over traditional smoking.

Drawing parallels with the advent of tobacco smoking in the 19th century, when the long-term impacts were not yet known, Stoimenova accused the tobacco industry of launching a covert assault on children's health.

Diyan Stamatov, Principal of 119th School of Secondary Education in Sofia, emphasized the crucial role of parents in this issue.

* * *

The daily newspaper also reported, in a series of articles, on other trends of drug abuse among minors, underscoring the urgent need for intervention and education to curb this growing issue.

CULTURE

Trud News also reports on Bulgaria's premier urban culture and music event, the A to JazZ festival. Set in Sofia for the 13th year running from July 4 to July 7 in South Park-2, the 2024 edition boasts a diverse array of jazz and world music, professional forums, and eco-friendly initiatives. The opening day is dedicated to concerts from international artists from 11 countries.

The festival's artistic programme will feature famous international jazz icons making their debut on the Bulgarian stage. It has become a significant cultural product for Sofia, drawing audiences from across Europe and serving as a platform for musicians to network with international industry delegates, exchange ideas and propose collaborations. The A to JazZ festival is supported by the Sofia Municipality and the French Institute in Bulgaria, among others.

MEDIA

The 24 Chasa newspaper front page reports on the demise of Borislav Zyumbyulev (1968-2024), Editor-in-Chief of the paper, winner of the Chernorizets Hrabar Award for outstanding contributions in journalism as a commentator. He joined the paper in 1999 and became editor-in-chief in 2012. His death was also reported in Trud News and other daily newspapers.

SPORTS

24 Chasa newspaper reported on the upcoming 30th anniversary reunion of the Bulgarian national football team that earned historical fourth place at the 1994 World Cup. The event will take place in July in Sofia. All team members have confirmed their attendance. The late Trifon Ivanov will be honoured. The article also recounts Bulgaria’s achievements in the 1994 World Cup and lists the team roster.