site.btaMedia Review: November 22

HEADLINES

Trud’s top story says that after 24 years of contributions to private universal pension funds, the average pension paid out is BGN 92.54. Citing data from the Financial Supervision Commission as of the end of September, the daily adds that only 16.6% of insured people receive a lifetime pension from a private fund.

Also on its front page, Trud writes about planned increases in property taxes, garbage collection fees, and vehicle taxes across the country.

Another lead story says that the Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) plays a key role in the election of the National Assembly Chair. The daily recalls that during the fourth attempt to elect a parliamentary leader on Wednesday, There Is Such a People’s (TISP) candidate, Silvi Kirilov, was 19 votes short of getting elected. Trud writes that BSP, with its 20 MPs, remains divided on the issue. The Socialists have stated that they will not withdraw their own candidate, Natalia Kiselova, and are expected to make a final decision on whether to support Kirilov on Friday before the fifth round of voting. 24 Chasa and Telegraph also cover the topic.

Duma quotes Vice President Iliana Iotova as telling reporters in Sofia on Thursday that there is a high risk of the parliamentary crisis escalating into a constitutional one.

Telegraph carries a story headlined “Domestic Violence Pandemic across the Country”. Citing statistics from the prosecution service, the daily says that in 2023, 2,211 people (1,971 women and 240 men) were victims of domestic violence. The number of case files opened went up by nearly 38% from 2022 to 2023, while pre-trial proceedings increased by 82%. Convictions or sanctions also surged significantly, from 258 in 2022 to 409 in 2023.

24 Chasa writes about an alarming rise in cases of sexual violence against children in Bulgaria between 2021 and 2023. The Interior Ministry reported 629 cases of sexual offences against children in 2023, up from 547 in 2021. According to the prosecution service, in all three years, victims under 14 outnumbered those aged 14-17.

Capital Weekly’s latest issue is titled “The World on the Brink of a New Trade War”. The media outlet writes that Donald Trump’s return to power is likely to shake up world trade, especially with China. European pharmaceutical, automotive, and chemical companies face risks from potential US tariffs, Capital Weekly notes, adding that Germany and Italy are among the most dependent economies, but Bulgarian exporters are also at risk.

POLITICS

The morning programmes of the Bulgarian National Television, bTV, and Nova TV featured analysts speculating about the possible outcome of the fifth round of voting for a parliamentary leader on Friday.

Vazrazhdane leader Kostadin Kostadinov was a guest at Nova TV’s morning show, where he reaffirmed that his party would not withdraw its candidate for National Assembly Chair, Petar Petrov. Kostadinov said that if Petrov is not elected, Vazrazhdane will back any candidate who is not nominated by GERB, the Movement for Rights and Freedoms, and Continue the Change – Democratic Bulgaria (CC-DB). “Last time we voted for TISP’s candidate, Silvi Kirilov [in the second round of voting]. We cannot align our positions with those of the other political parties, because doing so would imply that we are coalition partners, not opponents," Kostadinov said.

Speaking on bTV, sociologist Parvan Simeonov discussed possible options for forming a government. In his words, GERB leader Boyko Borissov "has already devised a formula” involving four parties. Simeonov suggested that GERB could form a government with Democratic Bulgaria (DB), BSP, and TISP. “For months now, Borissov has been openly critical of CC but has never targeted DB. In fact, DB and Democrats for a Strong Bulgaria [one of the partners in the CC-DB coalition] have been more cooperative with Borissov compared to CC,” the sociologist said. 

Interviewed on the Bulgarian National Radio, constitutional law expert Hristo Ormandzhiev said that the constitutional amendments adopted in December 2023 have made it “largely impossible to elect a Parliament chair". He added that while a consensus among MPs could have resolved the deadlock, "it is clear that they are already considering the possibility of new elections". Ormandzhiev attributes the current parliamentary impasse to "political calculations that go beyond the constitutional framework".

Trud and Duma report on a MarketLinks poll indicating that 58% of Bulgarians believe the October 27 snap parliamentary elections were unfair and 37% think they should be annulled. Commissioned by bTV and conducted among 1,017 adults between November 12 and 19, the poll reveals that Dimitar Glavchev’s caretaker cabinet has a 46% disapproval rate, while Parliament faces even higher disapproval at 64%.

BULGARIA - VIETNAM

Duma features an interview with Vietnam’s Ambassador to Bulgaria, Do Hoang Long, who discusses President Rumen Radev’s upcoming visit to Vietnam from November 24 to 27. The Ambassador highlights the significance of the visit, which precedes the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries in 2025. He noted that this will be the first visit of a Bulgarian head of State to Vietnam in the last 11 years. Do Hoang Long attributed the strong bilateral ties between Bulgaria and Vietnam not only to Bulgaria being one of the ten countries to recognize Vietnam’s independence in 1950 but also to “its valuable material and spiritual support”. The diplomat said that Bulgaria has trained over 3,600 scientists and experts and more than 30,000 skilled workers in fields such as construction, architecture, information technology, biochemistry, agriculture, engineering, and medicine.

During Radev’s visit, both countries are expected to sign a memorandum of cooperation in education for 2025-2028 aimed at fostering student exchanges.

Commenting on the strengthened bilateral trade relations, Do Hoang Long pointed to the growth in trade turnover, which increased from USD 102.5 million in 2015 to USD 211.5 million in 2023 and is expected to reach USD 300 million in 2024.

ECONOMY

Telegraph carries an interview with energy expert Ivan Hinovski, who discusses possible measures to prevent the energy crisis expected to hit Bulgaria in the winter season. To sustainably prevent such crises, Bulgaria should develop a modern investment programme focused on building new regulatory capacities, including gas-fired and hydropower plants. All photovoltaic producers should be required to store at least 25% of the energy they generate during the day and feed it into the grid during periods of large energy deficits. Simply investing in photovoltaic projects is not enough to address the issue. District heating and cooling systems also have a significant role to play in the future, Hinovski adds.

Capital Weekly reports on the impact of price indexation on railway transport modernization. The ministries and related structures have approved contract indexations totaling nearly BGN 2 billion, with additional costs for railway construction contracts alone reaching BGN 290.5 million, excluding VAT. The media outlet notes that railway projects are among the slowest-moving infrastructure initiatives in Bulgaria, and the indexations have further delayed progress.

EDUCATION

24 Chasa reports on the latest findings from the Institute for Market Economics (IME), which reveal that for the first time in history, the number of employees over the age of 55 in Bulgaria has surpassed the number of employees under 34. Over the next 25 years, the population aged 20 to 69 is projected to decrease by 800,000 people. The solution lies in increasing productivity, IME argues. At the same time, the country is seeing growing educational inequalities, as reflected in the latest PISA results. In 148 schools, the average grade for school leavers in Bulgarian language and literature is below 3, on a scale from 2 to 6, the IME report shows.

In an interview with the daily, IME Senior Economist Adrian Nikolov says that Northwestern Bulgaria and the regions of Silistra, Shumen, Targovishte, Dobrich, Yambol, and Sliven consistently perform below the national average.

SCHENGEN

Speaking on bTV’s morning programme, former foreign minister Nadezhda Neynsky said that there are "grounds for optimism about [Bulgaria's] potential entry into the Schengen area by land". She added that while Bulgaria has effective border protection, which is a key prerequisite for Schengen membership, the ultimate decision remains a political one. "What I’ve heard from Brussels is that some software needs to be implemented in Romania and, I believe, in Bulgaria as well," Neynsky noted. "The important step is securing the decision to join Schengen. The technical details of when exactly this will happen are relatively easier to address," she added.

CRIME

Trud reports that police in Greece have busted a Bulgarian gang that forced Bulgarians to beg in the country. Four people were arrested during the operation, including the ringleader, while two others remain on the run. Three more people have already been charged. Since May 2021, traffickers have been bringing individuals from Bulgaria to Greece, targeting those with financial, mobility, or mental health issues. The victims were persuaded with promises of legal work in Athens or a share of the money earned from begging. During the raids, authorities seized EUR 850 in banknotes and EUR 130 in coins, documents related to money transfers to Bulgaria, mobile phones, wheelchairs, and vehicles used to transport the victims to the exploitation sites. Telegraph also covers the topic.

CLIMATE

Trud reports that strong wind gusts, freezing temperatures, and snowfall have caused damage across the country.

Climatologist Simeon Matev tells Telegraph that the passage of multiple cyclones across Europe will result in highly dynamic weather conditions over the southern half of the continent in the next 48 hours.

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

Interviewed by Trud, former deputy foreign minister Lyubomir Kyuchukov says that tensions between Washington and Brussels would likely intensify further during Donald Trump’s second mandate compared to his first. Commenting on US President Joe Biden’s decision to allow Ukraine to use American-supplied weapons for strikes into Russian territory, the diplomat says that while this move will not significantly change the situation on the frontlines, it marks another step in the escalation of the war. Kyuchukov dismissed the notion that Trump would be “a pro-Russian president” or halt aid to Ukraine. Instead, he suggested that Trump would likely reduce the aid significantly, with supplies provided on a commercial basis.

24 Chasa runs an extensive interview with Prof. Yonco Mermerski, who gained media attention in 2016 for interpreting at a meeting between then-Prime Minister Boyko Borissov and Donald Trump. Mermerski also commented on Biden’s move on missiles for Ukraine, arguing that it could either trap Trump or provide him with a bargaining chip.

He also discussed some of Trump’s cabinet nominations, including Pete Hegseth as the pick for defense secretary, Elon Musk for head of a government efficiency department, and Robert F Kennedy Jr. as the nominee for health secretary.

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Trud offers an overview of the 1,000 days since the start of the war in Ukraine. Mediapool.bg has a story titled “1,000 Days of War: Solidarity, Propaganda and People’s Fates”. The article cites a 2024 Eurobarometer survey, which reveals that 87% of Europeans support providing humanitarian aid to those affected by the war, and 83% are in favor of admitting war refugees into the EU. While most Bulgarians maintain solidarity with Kyiv, public opinion remains divided. “Bulgaria continues to be one of NATO's more vulnerable members, often targeted by hybrid attacks,” the media outlet said. Despite this, the Bulgarian government has consistently provided military assistance to Ukraine, even with the presence of pro-Russian parties and groups within the country. Mediapool.bg recalls that Bulgaria has already sent ammunition for Soviet-era weapons, surface-to-air missiles, and some 100 armored personnel carriers.