site.btaMedia Review: September 18

INTERNATIONAL POLITICS

Trud, Sega, Telegraph report that Ekaterina Zaharieva has been nominated for European Commissioner for Startups, Research and Innovation. "This is one of the portfolios of the future, extremely important and at the centre of the next European Commission," commented Zaharieva 

Trud, 24 Chasa quote GERB leader Boyko Borissov, who expressed gratitude to Von der Leyen and the European Commission for the portfolio of the Bulgarian European Commissioner. He argued that economy, industry, competitiveness, innovations are the most powerful, most resourceful programmes in the EU.

Mediapool, 24 Chasa add that Borissov stressed that one of the reasons Bulgaria received this portfolio is the fact that this country has a supercomputer and has a huge IT community. Bulgaria has not one, but several supercomputers, the newest of which is called Hemus and was purchased with EU funds to be installed at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Borissov noted. 

24 Chasa, Trud quote Vice President Iliana Iotova, who expressed a little disappointed, because she expected Bulgaria to receive some of the more resourceful departments. Iotova pointed out that she had hoped that this country would receive the portfolio of regional and cohesion policy. She wished Zaharieva success and noted that her "test before the European Parliament and the relevant committees will not be easy at all".

Duma quotes Kristian Vigenin, head of the Delegation of the Bulgarian Socialists in the European Parliament and Bulgarian Socialist party (BSP) Deputy Chair, who commented that the Bulgarian representative received a modest portfolio, as expected. Bulgaria as a country is lagging in this field, it is not clear how this portfolio corresponds to the expertise and experience of the Bulgarian candidate-commissioner, he noted, adding that the portfolio is similar to the two previous Bulgarian ones, which raises questions as to whether Ursula von der Leyen was not "riding the momentum".

Bulgarian National Television's morning programme featured an interview with GERB/ENP MEP Andrey Novakov, who commented that Zaharieva received a resourceful portfolio that many countries fought for, which includes a programme that is worth almost EUR 100 billion (Horizon Europe). He argued against statements that Bulgaria received "only crumbs" 

BTV's morning programme featured comments from several MEPs. Andrey Kovachev from the European People's Party said that the main commitment of the European Commission is to adamantly support the economy. Renew Europe MEP Nikola Minchev argued that the Startups, Research and Innovation department has great potential. Renew Europe MEP Ilhan Kyuchyuk added that it is not the portfolio that makes the commissioner but the commissioner makes the portfolio. Stanislav Stoyanov from Europe of Sovereign Nations noted that there is currently some disappointment regarding the portfolio designated for Bulgaria. Tsvetelina Penkova from the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats said that Bulgaria had a huge chance to receive a key sector, namely the energy sector. 

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Trud, Mediapool report that on Monday, the new government of North Macedonia said that it would deliver a note of protest to the Bulgarian Ambassador because the flag of North Macedonia was not displayed at the meeting between Bulgarian President Rumen Radev and President of North Macedonia Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova on Friday, at the Presidency in Sofia. In turn, Radev explained that this was not an official visit and the protocol does not require it.

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Trud writes that caretaker Foreign Minister Ivan Kondov Tuesday met with US Ambassador to Bulgaria Kenneth Merten and disicussed Bulgaria's inclusion in the US Visa Waiver Program, which enables most citizens or nationals of participating countries to travel to the US for tourism or business for stays of 90 days or less without obtaining a visa, as well as concluding a Bulgaria-US Social Security Agreement, and the implementation of the Memorandum of Understanding between the Bulgarian Foreign Ministry and the US State Department for working together to counter foreign manipulation of information.

POLITICS

Telegraph, Trud report that a total of 24 parties and 9 coalitions have registered to participate in the early parliamentary elections on October 27. Parties and coalitions will have the chance to deregister until September 24, or change the composition of the coalitions and their names until September 21.

Sega, as well as Telegraph, Trud, writes that another series of appeals by Ahmed Dogan's faction of the Movement for Rights and Freedoms (MRF) against Delyan Peevski's control of the MRF failed in the Supreme Administrative Court (SAC). The magistrates refused to hear them on the grounds that it was not their job to settle disputes between two party leaders who had equal authority over the movement. This is a new victory for Peevski, whose coalition MRF-New Beginning will be the only one to participate in the vote with the MRF brand. Dogan's camp, led by the other Chair of the MRF, Dzhevdet Chakarov, challenged three decisions of the Central Election Commission (CEC) in court. With the first, the commission refused to register the MRF party as an independent participant in the parliamentary elections on October 27.

24 Chasa, Sega report that BSP - United Left will present its lists for the early parliamentary elections on October 27 by the end of the week, and they will not include Maya Manolova. The leader of the Rise Up, Bulgaria party herself said her party participated in the unification in order to restore trust in the left, to make its representation strong in the next parliament. She welcomed the statement by other leaders on the left that they would not be top-of-the-list candidates in the upcoming vote and called on those who have not yet done so to do so in the coming days. Manolova argued that this will show that the union is not after parliamentary seats. Recently, ex-minister Rumen Petkov from ABV stated that he will not be a MP candidate either.

BTV's morning programme featured Manolova who once again called on political leaders, both on both the left and the right, not to participate in the election lists. She added that the youth leaders of the left will be at the top of the election lists, including those in Sofia.

Trud notes that although former Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) leader Kornelia Ninova and her loyal MPs Ivan Chenchev and Georgi Svilenski were expelled from the BSP, they still remain members of the parliamentary group despite the repeated calls of Ninova in recent days for the group to meet and decide their fate. A few days ago, the new BSP leadership commented unofficially to Trud that they deliberately did not exclude Ninova, Svilenski and Chenchev because the current Parliament is reaching the end of its life, as well as in order not to give an unnecessary platform to members already expelled from the party which will shift the focus from the long-awaited "unprecedented left unification". However, Trud adds that if Ninova and her two associates are excluded, the BSP will become the 6th largest group in the National Assembly, being surpassed by TISP. This means that there will be fewer quota seats in the regional and sectional election commissions in the coming vote. 

SOCIETY

Sega reports on a nationally representative survey conducted by Gallup International Balkan on behalf of BNT, which indicates that Bulgarian society is rather divided in its concerns about propaganda of ideas and views related to non-traditional sexual orientation in Bulgarian schools. Some 39.1% of respondents have concerns. However, almost a third of the respondents (32.2%) stated that they are not worried about such propaganda in schools. Nearly thirty percent (28.7%) answered that they had not heard about the matter at all or denied that the debates surrounding the legislative initiatives in the National Assembly had reached them. An additional question, aimed directly at the attitudes towards Bulgarian teachers, reinforces the division on the subject in Bulgarian society - 36.8% of the respondents said they were worried that Bulgarian teachers were promoting ideas and views related to non-traditional sexual orientation; 27.6% said they had no such concerns; and a significant share of 35.6% said they had not heard of such a problem. The survey was conducted between August 28 and September 5, 2024 among 802 people.

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Sega, Telegraph, Mediapool quote Sofia Mayor Vassil Terziev who admitted that declaring the second day of the new 2024/25 school year a non school day which still requires attendance, was mishandled. Terziev explained that he wants September 17, the day of the city of Sofia, to be a non-school day, but the implementation of the idea in the last minute was unsuccessful due to lack of coordination with the Education Ministry.

Sega, Telegraph, Mediapool report that at a solemn meeting on occasion of Sofia's holiday on September 17, the Sofia Municipal Council awarded 11 people with the title of Honourary Citizen of Sofia, including scientist Prof. Hristo Balarev; mountaineers Ivan Valchev and Kiril Doskov; athletes who distinguished themselves at the Paris 2024 Olympics: Olympic champions Karlos Nasar (bars), Magomed Ramazanov and Semen Novikov Ramazanov (wrestling), rhytmic gymnastics vice-champion Boryana Kaleyn and bronze medalists Kimia Alizadeh (taekwondo), Bozhidar Andreev (bars) and Javier Ibanez (boxing), as well as Paralympic champion Ruzhdi Ruzhdi. 

HOME AFFAIRS

Sega writes that the Supreme Bar Council issued an appeal to the Supreme Judicial Council, urging it not to carry out the procedure for selecting a prosecutor general. Last week, officials resumed the procedure, which was stopped a year ago, with the explanation that they are obliged by law. In the next few weeks nominations will be accepted. The hearing and selection of the next  prosecutor general is scheduled for January 16. The problem is that the council's mandate expired 2 years ago and, in addition, it has an incomplete composition. 

Telegraph, Trud, Sega report that the black box of the L-39 combat training aircraft that crashed a few days ago near the Graf Ignatievo Air Base was sent to the unit in Dolna Mitropolia, but its data has not yet been interpreted. "If it happens in Bulgaria, it will be good, because it will be soon. If it has to be sent to Czechia, things will be delayed there," said Major Hristo Anchev from the Military District Prosecutor's Office in Plovdiv. Anchev said that Major Petko Dimitrov most likely piloted the plane. So far, about 20 military personnel from the Graf Ignatievo Air Base have been questioned, and the collection of witness statements continues. Investigators are working on three main versions for the cause of the crash. Meanwhile, the forensic medical examination on the causes of death of the two pilots has been completed and indicated that the two died on impact.  

Mediapool, Trud, Sega report of a robbery at a casino in the capital's Lyulin district on Tuesday morning. According to unofficial information, the two perpetrators were armed and took BGN 30,000.

Sega writes that the "nightmare" transit at Bulgaria's border checkpoints will continue for at least another two years. A debate was held in the National Assembly regarding what the the executive is branch doing about the kilometre-long queues along the border, the private buffer parking lots, the lack of synchronization between Bulgarian customs and border guards and their colleagues on the other side. 24 Chasa quotes caretaker Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Lyudmila Petkova, who said that so far, no comprehensive strategy has been developed for the country's border checkpoints and the adjacent infrastructure. Currently, the Ministry of Finance and the Customs Agency are developing such a strategy for the modernization of border checkpoints and for effective border control.

HEALTHCARE

Sega writes, as do Trud and Telegraph, that after "their spontaneous law-making on non-existent problems", Vazrazhdane set about solving a very real one - the lack of pharmacies and round-the-clock pharmacies outside big cities, but ultimately ended up uniting all pharmaceutical organizations against its proposals. Five organizations of pharmacists and pharmacy owners have announced that they are ready to protest in connection with the bill passed at the first reading in Parliament, which envisages that the state will finance the opening of drug vending machines in regions, municipalities and settlements for which a shortage has been identified according to the national pharmacy map. The bill includes an incentive for pharmacists to open pharmacies in small towns (only 8% corporate tax). Pharmacists fear a radical change of the conditions for exercising the profession and endangering the safety and health of patients at the benefit of corporate interests of owners of vending machines.

All morning programmes on Wednesday, including Bulgarian National Television, bTV and Nova TV, featured debates regarding medication vending machines in smaller settlements. While pharmacists are against it, a lot of locals are desperate for any way medications can be more easily accessible to them.

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Mediapool reports that 89% of patient organizations in this country do not feel fully represented in the formation of policies in the health sector, according to data from a survey of the National Alliance of People with Rare Diseases, presented on September 17, World Patient Safety Day. "The neglect of the experience and expertise of the patient representatives by those managing the health processes leads to missed significant public benefits", commented Petya Stratieva, National Alliance of People with Rare Diseases Chair. 

ENERGY AND WATER

Telegraph reports of record losses from the water supply network in the country, according to data from the Ministry of Regional Development and Public Works. Three water supply companies have losses of over 80%, eight companies have losses of over 70%, and only five companies have managed to limit losses below 50 percent. Since the beginning of 2024, almost all water companies reported a decrease in the flow rates of underground water sources compared to previous years. During the summer months, some of the drains and catchments dried up. This is due to a prolonged dry period in the country, as well as increased water consumption.

Sega, Mediapool report that the European Commission did not accept the arguments of the Ministry of Energy in favour of the Electricity System Operator and Bulgartransgaz remaining under the umbrella of the Bulgarian Energy Holding (BEH), which was decided by the National Assembly in 2023. Bulgaria is practically obliged to remove the two companies from the holding, if it does not want to lose significant funds over BGN 1 billion. It is not clear how this will affect BEH's financial situation, but the Ministry of Energy promises to fend off any possibilities to privatize the two operators by including them in the list of companies prohibited for privatization. Caretaker Energy Minister Vladimir Malinov and Finance Minister Lyudmila Petkova informed the National Assembly of this development. The only thing that Bulgaria managed from the Commission is the possibility to separate the two operators into a new holding under the umbrella of BEH, Malinov informed the MPs. 

ECONOMY

24 Chasa reports that according to the data of the Ministry of Tourism, by the end of August, more than 770,000 visitors came to Bulgaria for the purpose of business and organization of events. That number reached nearly BGN 1.3 million in 2023.

On the occasion of Sofia's city holiday, September 17, Nova TV shared that the gross domestic product that Sofia generates is nearly BGN 69 billion, or in other words 41% of the country's GDP. According to an analysis by the Institute for Market Economics, over the past two decades, the capital's economy has seen continuous growth, with few exceptions such as the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. The city quickly recovered from the restrictions imposed at the time. GDP estimates for 2023 are BGN 75 billion. The fact that one fifth of the country's population lives in the capital contributes to the fact that the local economy is oriented towards services and activities with high added value and makes Sofia an undisputed economic leader in the country.