site.btaMedia Review: June 27

GOVERNMENT-FORMING NEGOTIATIONS

Telegraph, 24 Chasa, Trud, Sega report on the third and final day of consultations that President Rumen Radev held with the political forces in Parliament for forming a government. On Wednesday, Radev spoke with There Is Such a People (TISP) and Velichie (Grandeur). TISP proposed an "expert cabinet in the conditions of a political crisis" with the third government-forming mandate, regardless if they receive it, as they have been vocally ready to, or not  [The first two go to the two largest political formations in Parliament, GERB-UDF and the Movement for Rights and Freedoms (MRF), while the third is at the discretion of President Radev]. Sega adds that TISP once again raised the topic of a presidential republic. Velicie are also looking to the third mandate, and proposed a programmatic government. Vazrazhdane and BSP for Bulgaria also previously stated that they are ready to receive the third mandate, with Vazrazhdane proposing an "anti-GERB" coalition. 

Telegraph, 24 Chasa, Trud, Mediapool quote GERB-UDF leader Boyko Borissov, who said that his party will propose a minority government comprised of only GERB,  noting that any other alternatives would be poorly received by the formation's supporters. In response to a comment by TISP Floor Leader Toshko Yordanov, Borissov said that he will not accept support from single MPs from other formations to avoid accusations that they have been bought. 

Trud quotes Continue the Change-Democratic Bulgaria leader Kiril Petkov, who denied that his formation held talks with Vazrazhdane. 

Mediapool, Trud, 24 Chasa report that Nikolay Markov and the Velichie parliamentary group demanded and received an apology from the party's ideologue Ivelin Mihailov for his statement a few days ago that he expected some of the party's MPs to break away and support a GERB cabinet with the first mandate.

BSP Floor Leader Borislav Gutsanov said on the air of bTV that there is every chance that there will be a cabinet, it is a matter of talks. However, at the moment there is more talk about technology for forming a government, and not about its goals, he critically noted.

Nova TV ponders will Bulgaria have a regular cabinet and at what political cost? Political scientist Stoycho Stoychev and journalist Emilia Milcheva commented on the topic. Milcheva pointed out that all political forces, with the exception of CC-DB, said they would support an expert cabinet. She added that the fact that Bulgaria has been in the waiting room of the eurozone since 2018 is the result of long-standing political instability in the country. Stoychev argued that "we cannot expect this National Assembly to produce a majority that pursues common priorities." The political scientist is skeptical that it is possible for GERB or MRF to support a possible TISP third mandate.

POLITICS

Sega, Duma, 24 Chasa, Mediapool, Telegraph report that on Wednesday the National Assembly was rocked by a big scandal, as the head of the Military Intelligence Service, Brigadier General Venelin Venev, accused CC-DB Co-chair Atanas Atanasov of trying to recruit military intelligence officers to obtain information and facilitate career appointments in the special services. Atanasov denied these claims, declared himself the victim of a political hit and even read excerpts from Venev's personal correspondence from the parliamentary rostrum. The hearing on Wednesday was requested by MPs from GERB and the MRF. Sega adds that prior to the June 9 elections, Vazrazhdane demanded that Venev be heard in the National Assembly on the same topic, but then GERB and MRF did not allow the hearing to enter the agenda. Now the same political forces are in conflict with the CC-DB and have completely reversed their position. 

Mediapool notes that caretaker Prime Minister Dimitar Glavchev first accepted, then suddenly refused to appear at a hearing in the National Assembly at the request of CC-DB on the dismissals and leadership changes in the special services. Over the past month, the caretaker government has made a number of dismissals and appointments in SANS, the State Commission on Information Security, Commission for Information Security, State Agency for Technical Operations, and the State Intelligence Agency.

Sega reports that the Glavchev caretaker Cabinet is changing regional governors in batches, the previous ones being in the spring. On Wednesday, new regional governors were appointed in Kardzhali, Plovdiv, Haskovo, Targovishte.

Sega writes that CC-DB demanded the resignation of the head of the State Agency for National Security (SANS), Plamen Tonchev, following Wednesday's parliamentary hearing on the agency's handling of a private firm's request to build a pediatric clinic while the state stalls the National Children's Hospital project. The hearing was requested by CC-DB because of a report that SANS wanted explanations from members of the Public Council for the National Children's Hospital and against the Danaya Foundation team for their expressed positions against the private project. "SANS has become GERB-UDF and MRF's  weapon", said CC-DB Co-chair Atanas Atanasov.

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Duma writes that the new leadership of the Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) received full support for the course taken towards the unification of the left-wing formations from the chairpersons of the regional councils of the party. This was discussed at a working meeting on the current political situation in the country, as well as the beginning of the full reporting-election cycle and the situation in the BSP. 

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

Telegraph, Trud, Mediapool, 24 Chasa report on rising tensions between Sofia and Skopje. President Rumen Radev demanded that Bulgaria and the European Union react after the words of newly elected Prime Minister of the Republic of North Macedonia, Hristijan Mickoski, that "he will not allow the Bulgarian diktat" and there will be no changes in the Constitution. "The masks have fallen and the new government of North Macedonia has clearly shown that the the biggest fear of the political class of this country is to recognize the very existence of the word "Bulgarian", said Radev. The position of the newly elected Prime Minister caused even sharper reactions among the Bulgarian political parties. GERB Leader Borissov warned that Bulgaria wants agreements to be respected and "any other interpretations are not good for the colleagues from North Macedonia". CC-DB also came out with a position, stating that if North Macedonia wants to continue on its way to Europe, the government must keep its commitments. TISP's Toshko Yordanov was also critical on the matter. Hours later, Hristijan Mickoski personally addressed Radev and  Borissov, expressing willingness to sit down and talk to both of them. 

Trud, 24 Chasa report on a meeting between Prime Minister Dimitar Glavchev and International Affairs Adviser to NATO's Supreme Allied Commander Stephen Covington, where the two discussed the upcoming NATO Summit in Washington, and strengthening of the Eastern flank of the Alliance and the Black Sea region in connection with the war in Ukraine, etc. Glavchev confirmed the Bulgarian support for Ukraine, which would continue "as much and as long as necessary".  Covington is paying an official visit to Bulgaria from June 24 to 26 at the invitation of Bulgaria's Chief of Defence, Admiral Emil Eftimov.

24 Chasa also reports on President Rumen Radev's meeting with Covington. "Bulgaria has invested considerable financial resources in the major projects related to the modernization of the Air Force, the Navy and the Ground Forces, but in order for the defence capabilities to meet the modern trends, timely efforts should be made to introduce economically and financially viable projects with high efficiency and asymmetric effect," Radev said. 

Sega quotes President Rumen Radev's comments on Ukraine, days before the summit in Washington DC. Radev argued that the question is no longer about providing weapons to Ukraine, but about the lack of people on the battlefield. The publication writes that such theses about the lack of people are mainly spread on Russian propaganda sites.

Sega reports that two deputy foreign ministers are on a working visit to Oman. Deputy Foreign Minister Maria Angelieva and Deputy Foreign Minister Nevyana Miteva met with Omani Foreign Minister Badr bin Hamad Al Busaidi  and handed him a written message from caretaker Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Dimitar Glavchev. The meeting focused on the field of energy, renewable sources, new technologies, culture and education, as well as an exchange of opinions on some important and current issues of the regional and global agenda for both countries, including the severe humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip and the need for finding a lasting solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Neither the subject of Glavchev's message nor what made it necessary for two foreign deputy ministers to go to Oman was made public, the publication notes. 

Mediapool, 24 Chasa write that CC-DB MEPs have been accepted as full members of the Renew Europe (RENEW) parliamentary group. CC-DB won three seats in the European Parliament elections on June 9, including Nikola Minchev, Radan Kanev and Hristo Petrov,  known by his stage name Itso (Gamble) Hazarta.  

Mediapool quotes a position by CC-DB in which they condemn Russia's ban list against free European media, on the occasion of Russia's decision to ban access to to 81 media from the EU, among them Mediapool.bg and 24 Chasa.

Telegraph, Trud quote the Foreign Ministry, which warns warns Bulgarian citizens not to travel to parts of Italy due to bad weather, rain and flooding. 

HOME AFFAIRS

24 Chasa, Telegraph, Trud, Sega, Mediapool quote GERB leader Boyko Borissov, who said that about a week ago, his security informed him that they received a signal from one of the most influential services in the world for the highest level of threat to his life. Borissov stated that he has not spoken with the State Agency for National Security or the Ministry of the Interior, but he hopes that they have taken measures. He explained that the threat was due to the aid for Ukraine. 

Telegraph, Trud, Sega, Mediapool report that Ruja Ignatova is about to be indicted  in absentia in Bulgaria. This will allow, in addition to a criminal sanction against her, a procedure for the confiscation of her illegally acquired property with the funds obtained in a criminal way from the OneCoin financial pyramid scheme she lead. The news was reported by Caretaker Prosecutor General Borislav Sarafov at a briefing, together with US Ambassador Kenneth Merten and SANS Chair Plamen Tonchev. The US government has announced a new reward of up to USD 5 million for information on Ignatova.

Sega, Mediapool write that the Sofia City Prosecutor's Office submitted an indictment to the Sofia City Court in a case for war propaganda. A Lebanese man created and distributed a video in which he filmed himself wearing a traditional Arabic headscarf and addressed to all Muslims around the world a call in Arabic for the destruction and killing of people of American and Jewish descent, and said that he would take the necessary action on the territory of Bulgaria.

24 Chasa, Trud, Sega, Mediapool report that former regional chairman of the MRF in Varna and current municipal councilor, Sali Tabakov, was detained after a search of his home by officers from the Anti-Corruption Commission. The investigation was related to the fact that between 2018 and 2023, an official from the Ministry of Education and Science concluded an unfavorable deal for the purchase of vehicles, the prosecutor's office said. Over BGN 1 million were found in Tabakov's home. He has been detained in custody.

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Telegraph, Sega report that the Capital Directorate of Interior ordered Deputy Mayor of Sofia Municipality Iliyan Pavlov to comply with a decision of the Supreme Administrative Court by suspending the introduction of a new much debated and controversial traffic organization in Sofia centre. The order, sent on June 24, mandates suspending the new organization of traffic, suspending  traffic on the newly constructed bike lanes and parking spaces, as they currently fall within the area of ​​construction and installation works. 

ECONOMY

Mediapool, Trud, Mediapool report that the expected reports of the European Central Bank (ECB) and the European Commission on the progress of Bulgaria and five other countries on the road to the eurozone caused unexpected tension, as Bulgaria was determined to not meet one of the requited criteria. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Lyudmila Petkova explained that this country cannot enter the Eurozone before 2026. Thus far, all officials have stated that the goal is to join in 2025.

Sega quotes economist Georgi Ganev, who caught an inexplicable and drastic discrepancy between the inflation calculations of the two European institutions, calling it "absolutely unprecedented". According to the EC, the average value for the three eurozone countries with the lowest inflation for the last 12 months is 4.1%, and according to the ECB, the same indicator is only 3.3%. If the accounts of the ECB  are correct, it is bad for Bulgaria, if not fatal, because it means that it will be more difficult to meet the requirement for permanently low consumer prices, Ganev said.

Telegraph, 24 Chasa quote caretaker Prime Minister Glavchev, who said that a new convergence report, which will show whether this country is ready to adopt the euro, will be requested by the government at the end of this year. The criterion that Bulgaria does not meet, price stability, is expected to be completed by the end of 2024. 

24 Chasa quotes President of the Eurogroup (consisting of finance ministers from eurozone countries) Paschal Donohoe who said in an X post that he welcomes the good progress by Bulgaria which is advancing well on its path towards euro area membership and he looks forward to this country becoming part of the euro area family in the future.

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Kurt Vandenberghe, Director-General of the European Commission's Directorate-General Climate Action, said on the air of bTV that he is glad to be in Bulgaria and talk to the state authorities about the green transition. The concerns of the people who work at the thermal power plants remain. Apart from unemployment, there are also concerns about the prices of energy after the green transition. In the last month, Bulgarian politicians have also expressed doubts about the Green Deal. Vandenberghe said that the transition is already happening and will continue to happen. Currently solar energy is the cheapest, cheaper than coal. By closing the coal-fired thermal power plants and replacing them with solar electricity or other forms of renewable sources, Bulgaria can become a clean energy hub for the entire region in Europe, he explained. Vandenberghe stressed that the EU has set aside a lot of funds for Bulgaria to enable this transition to happen. He noted that the green transition could  be a solution to many of the problems of farmers.

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Telegraph, Sega report that a few days before the entry into force of a ceiling of the trade markup for the three main types of bread - white, Dobrudzha and brown bread, traders warn of serious problems due to the limitation of the markup not to exceed 15% from July 1 onward and uncertainties as to exactly how it will be applied.

Sega reports that protesting owners of photovoltaic and wind generator plants blocked the Ruse-Sofia road near the Pleven village of Yasen because of the new Energy and Water Regulatory Comission methodology for calculating the price of the so-called balancing energy, in force since May 1, which led to extremely high prices for electricity shortages and surpluses. In May, these prices ranged from minus BGN 2,684.50/MWh to BGN 6,342.00 and led to huge bills for solar and wind power producers.

Mediapool, 24 Chasa write that the State allocated nearly BGN 45 million for the construction of technical infrastructure in the Bozhurishte industrial park and for increasing the capital of the economic zone in Dobroslavtsi. 

Mediapool, 24 Chasa write that the caretaker Government on Wednesday gave carte blanche to Energy Minister Vladimir Malinov to sign an agreement next week in Baku to include the state-owned Bulgarian Energy Holding or its subsidiary in the Azeri project to build an undersea cable across the Black Sea to Europe to transfer energy from renewable sources. The Bulgarian participation in the project company will be 20%, but it is not clear how much the investment will amount to.