site.btaMedia Review: May 29

The focus of the news media outlets on Monday is that President Rumen Radev will hand over the second exploratory government-forming mandate to prime minister designate Nikolay Denkov from the second largest parliamentary group in the 49th National Assembly, the Continue the Change - Democratic Bulgaria (CC-DB) alliance later that day.

POLITICS

The Bulgarian National Television (BNT) reports that the leadership of Democrats for Strong Bulgaria (DSB), a party in the Democratic Bulgaria coalition, reaffirms its decision to support the CC-DB PM designate Nikolay Denkov. “We declare that we will make every possible effort to form a regular cabinet to contain the aggravated political crisis and implement the reforms needed”, DSB said in an official announcement.

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Nova TV aired a comment by BSP deputy floor leader Georgi Svilenski, in whose words the negotiations for forming a regular cabinet are over, because even if a government is formed on a rotating basis, there is no Bulgarian citizen who will accept it, even if they voted for either CC-DB or GERB. Such a government would be insecure, unstable and harmful for the country. According to him, a government on a rotating basis between GERB-UDF and CC-DB would only entail backstage deals, and a price that Bulgarian citizens will have to pay eventually.

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Bulgarian National Radio (BNR) has an interview with political scientist Lyubomir Stefanov. Referring to Bulgaria’s geopolitical orientation, Stefanov said that “Europe Boulevard is currently undergoing major repairs, while strong winds are blowing from Northeast". In his opinion, the folder containing the second exploratory mandate should be taken by CC-DB prime minister designate Nikolay Denkov on Monday afternoon. After the freezing of negotiations between GERB and CC-DB, it is important to see whether talks can be resumed in a civilised way or people will witness "another petty expression of [political] emotions - do you like me or not". According to Stefanov, the only effective option is to form a government consisted of experts. The most sensible thing Denkov and Gabriel can do is continue negotiating and everyone else chew their egos.

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In an online interview, cultural anthropology professor Ivaylo Dichev told Nova TV that GERB aims to gain advantage over CC-DB by freezing the negotiations. He believes that the GERB-UDF coalition and the CC-DB alliance will find common ground for forming a regular government because there is no other way out for them. Both sides will lose if there are new snap elections. GERB will lose votes because they have a quarrel with BSP and the Movement for Rights and Freedoms.

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Interviewed by BNR, former deputy foreign minister Milen Keremedchiev expressed concerns that Bulgaria will not meet the conditions for entry into Schengen even if efforts are made by GERB PM designate Mariya Gabriel and she becomes Bulgaria’s next Foreign Minister.

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Speaking on Nova TV, Dimitar Gardev, an expert on international relations and former There Is Such a People MP, said that Bulgaria needs a stable and predictable foreign policy with Turkiye as its neighbour because Turkiye is on the rise and has serious ambitions in the Balkan region. Gardev’s commented on Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s victory at Turkiye's presidential run-off on Sunday. Turkiye is now a factor that everyone takes into account, he stressed.

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Trud writes that GERB-UDF MP Vezhdi Rashidov congratulated Recep Tayyip Erdogan for winning the presidential elections in Turkiye. Rashidov says he is happy with Erdogan’s victory and he is glad that for many years they have worked for maintaining excellent Bulgarian-Turkish relations.

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24 Chasa publishes a thorough interview with the mayor of Gorna Oryahovitsa (North Central Bulgaria) – Dobromir Dobrev. Dobrev says that his municipality works for local children to have good conditions to prosper in their place of origin. He emphasized that there are 324 less unemployed persons in the city, year to year, and that the Summer Theatre building and the intensive care unit of the local hospital have been renewed.

RECORDING OF BREAKAWAY CC-DB MP RADOSTIN VASILEV

bTV and 24 Chasa report that the Sofia District Prosecution Office has launched an investigation relating to threats and coercion of breakaway CC-DB MP Radostin Vasilev. On May 26, Vasilev made public a recording which he claims was made at an online meeting of CC’s National Council on May 21. The recording implies that there is an understanding for replacement of the heads of the security services and “the names are to be cleared with the embassy”. There are also allegations about meetings with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Charles Michel to discuss how Bulgaria can join Schengen and circumvent the eurozone entry rules. Other news outlets also cover the topic.

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Speaking on BNT’s morning show, Radostin Vasilev said that he fears for his life. He explained that he made the recording from his living room by using his son’s tablet computer. “I started recording the online meeting from its beginning. I was listening to the discussion for about an hour, then I left it [the device] recording. How can foreign embassies approve the head of national security?”, Vasilev stressed, adding that he used to support CC because of their anti-corruption policy and GERB counterbalance – two reasons which, in his words, are gone now. He said that he does not consider himself a traitor.

PROSECUTION SERVICE CONTROVERSY

All news media outlets report on the request of Prosecutor General Ivan Geshev to the Constitutional Court to interpret a constitutional text. The request raises three main issues related to the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC). Two of the questions ask whether the functions of the council are terminated upon the expiry of its term and whether it is permissible to form a new one with the members elected in 2022 from the professional quota of judges and prosecutors together with the members by right - the heads of the Supreme Court of Cassation (SCC) and the Supreme Administrative Court (SAC) and the Prosecutor General. The third question asks whether it is constitutionally permissible for an SJC with an expired term in office to take decisions regarding the heads of the SCC, the SAC, the Prosecutor General and other administrative heads in the judiciary.

DEFENCE

Sega publishes an article that the Defence Ministry plans to invest a record amount of money in military equipment in 2023. Some BGN 1,2 billion are laid down as capital expenditures in the Defence Ministry’s budget for 2023 which is yet to be discussed in Parliament. A total of BGN 457 million are intended for acquiring arms to create battalion battlegroups. Cited by Sega, the Ministry says that this project is at advanced stage, as an international arms trade treaty is to be signed with the US, but Bulgaria’s National Assembly has to ratify the agreement. Some BGN 110 million are intended to be paid as first instalment for purchasing 3D radars, BGN 36.7 million are to be provided for associated costs of the project for acquiring new fighter jets. A total of BGN 776.5 million are earmarked in the central budget for the acquisition, maintenance and repair of weapons, as well as for the construction of infrastructure. A total of BGN 421 million are earmarked for capital expenditures out from the Defence Ministry’s budget, including some BGN 200 million for the purchase of a multipurpose modular patrol vessel. The total estimated cost of this project amounts to BGN 984 million. An amount of BGN 121 million is earmarked payments in contracts from 2022 and some BGN 100 million are earmarked for new capital expenditure.

EDUCATION

News media outlets report that nearly 56,000 fourth-graders are taking a national external assessment exam in Bulgarian language and literature on May 29. The national external assessment exam in mathematics will take place on May 30.

HEALTHCARE

Speaking on BNT’s morning show, Prof. Iva Hristova, head of the National Centre for Infectious and Parasitic Diseases, said that there have been many cases of tick bites, both among children and adults, as ticks become more active when the weather gets warmer and wetter. In her words, green areas are sprayed with chemical solutions against parasites but the rain often washes the preparations away. “Even by spraying, no one is able to completely remove the ticks. Spraying is only aimed at keeping their population to a minimum”, the expert explained.

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In a BNR interview, Prof. Todor Kantardjiev, health advisor with Sofia Municipality, also confirmed that tick bites’ cases are on the rise.

TOURISM

Dnevnik features a story that the majority of tour operators in Bulgaria report lower numbers of tourist bookings, not meeting the expectations for the 2023 summer season, although the Tourism Ministry forecasts a 5% increase in the number of tourists in Bulgaria. The outflow of German tourists to Bulgaria in 2022 will continue in the summer of 2023, the online news outlet says. Tour operators complain about the lack of adequate advertising by the state, while Bulgaria's competitors in the industry keep capturing more and more shares of the tourist flow. At the same time, Bulgarian tourists are ready to travel anywhere. Inflation is not always an obstacle, as the quality of services is increasingly important for Bulgarian tourists.

CULTURE

BNT reports that the 2023 edition of the Spring Book Fair opens in Sofia on Monday, May 29. A total of 144 publishing houses will participate in the forum. Some 60 stands will be arranged in the park in front of the National Palace of Culture. The Spring Book Fair in Sofia is scheduled from May 29 until June 4.