site.btaMedia Review: February 4

No single topic dominates Tuesday's news media.

POLITICS

Segabg.com publishes a political commentary, titled "Borissov Sets Traps for His Own Coalition". According to the article, GERB leader Boyko Borissov risks political instability by delaying key government appointments. It argues that while the state budget has dominated public discourse in recent weeks, Borissov’s decision to postpone second-tier political appointments (such as deputy ministers and regional governors) has been overlooked. The publication stresses that state institutions rely on these appointments to function effectively. Deputy ministers handle priority sectors within ministries, ensuring the implementation of government policies and parliamentary decisions. Regional governors, meanwhile, serve as a link between the government, local authorities, and municipalities. By delaying these appointments, Borissov may be undermining the stability of his own coalition, ultimately affecting the governance of the country, the commentary warns.

Segabg.com argues that postponing key political appointments is paralyzing state institutions. Civil servants across Bulgaria are in a state of uncertainty, hesitant to work for fear of making mistakes that could lead to their dismissal during inevitable political purges. The article claims that Borissov refuses to ease this tension, leaving the administration in limbo. Additionally, this situation undermines the authority of newly-elected Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov. The delay raises doubts about who is truly in charge: Zhelyazkov, approved by Parliament, or Borissov, who continues to dictate the government’s actions. According to Segabg.com, if Borissov continues to pull the strings of executive power, it will become evident that he—not Zhelyazkov—is the real decision-maker in Bulgaria’s government.

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The 24 Chasa daily has an interview with Petar Stoyanov, who served as Bulgaria's president from 1997 to 2001, reflected on a pivotal moment in Bulgaria’s modern political history — February 4, 1997. On that day, Stoyanov made the critical decision to refuse to grant the Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) a mandate to form a new government after the resignation of prime minister Zhan Videnov, who had failed to stabilize the country amidst multiple crises and widespread protests.

Stoyanov recalls that, a week earlier, he had already granted BSP a mandate for exploratory talks, given that they were the largest political force in Parliament. However, he cautioned them multiple times not to proceed with the formation of a new government, warning of the risk it posed to the country. When the BSP presented a cabinet proposal on February 4, Stoyanov refused to accept it, believing it would inflame the already tense situation among the protesting citizens. Instead of submitting it to Parliament for a vote — where BSP had an absolute majority — he called an urgent Consultative Council meeting, expecting that other political leaders would also push back. His move resulted in the BSP backing down from their second attempt to form a government, leading to a path to new elections.

Stoyanov emphasized the immense pressure of the situation, where the protests were at a boiling point, and his decision ultimately helped to avert further chaos.

HEALTH

Mediapool.bg publishes an in-depth analysis based on the European Commission’s latest Country Cancer Profiles report for all Member States. The news outlet’s article is titled "Paradoxes in Cancer Treatment in Bulgaria: Leading in Radiotherapy Equipment and Drug Access, Yet Facing Rising Mortality". The profiles were released ahead of World Cancer Day on February 4.

Bulgaria is one of only two EU countries, alongside Cyprus, where cancer mortality has increased over the past decade. In all other Member States, cancer-related deaths have declined. At the same time, Bulgaria ranks among the EU leaders in the number of radiotherapy machines, following Slovakia, Denmark, Finland, and France, and is among the countries with the best access to publicly funded cancer therapies. While this should ensure adequate treatment for cancer patients in Bulgaria, the rising mortality rate highlights significant issues in the organization of oncology care in this country.

According to Mediapool.bg, Bulgaria’s cancer profile reveals shortcomings in several key areas: the country has above-average levels of smoking and other cancer risk factors; cancer screening coverage is low; high out-of-pocket costs create barriers to treatment; a reliable national cancer registry is lacking; and oncology care is unevenly distributed.

Due to the absence of a functioning cancer registry, Bulgaria provides limited data on cancer treatment. The report specifically highlights this issue, suggesting that the lack of a registry likely leads to a significant underreporting of cancer incidence. The age-standardized cancer incidence rate in Bulgaria is the lowest among EU countries—356 cases per 100,000 women (compared to the EU average of 488 per 100,000) and 533 cases per 100,000 men (compared to the EU average of 684 per 100,000), the analysis further reads.

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According to contracts published on the Public Procurement Agency's website, Bulgarian National Radio (BNR) reports that Bulgaria’s Health Ministry has spent over BGN 1 million on a television campaign promoting cervical cancer screenings. The campaign’s TV advertisement, which cost an additional BGN 120,000, aired on BNT (Bulgarian National Television), bTV, and Nova TV for 17 days in December 2024, marking the final days of a cervical cancer prevention initiative. The campaign was also promoted on nine private radio stations during the summer of 2024 at a cost of BGN 67,000. Conducted as part of a national programme, the initiative offered 90,000 free screenings for women aged 20 to 49. The results of the campaign are expected to be announced in March.

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BNR reports that the Interior Ministry’s General Directorate for Combating Organized Crime (GDCOC) has taken down two of the most visited websites selling vapes and cannabinoid-based substances. The removed websites were selling vapes and other products with cannabis-like content, which are prohibited. According to BNR, arrests have also been made, though the number of detained individuals remains unknown. The blocked websites were among the most frequently visited, with one of them reportedly processing over 100 orders per day.

BNT and Segabg.com also covered the topic.

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Speaking on BNT, the head of the Executive Agency for Medical Supervision, Ivanka Dineva, said that establishments offering aesthetic medical procedures fall under the jurisdiction of regional health inspections, which have always conducted checks and will continue to do so. Her comment comes in response to cases of unlicensed Botox treatments in Sofia that led to the hospitalization of several women. "Since yesterday [February 3], regional teams have been formed—where the Regional Health Inspections, together with the General Directorate National Police, [the Executive Agency for] Medical Supervision, and the Bulgarian Drug Agency (BDA), will carry out inspections of public facilities. We continue, and we have never stopped conducting these inspections," Dineva assured. According to her, the Health Ministry has taken action and will import the necessary quantities of botulinum antitoxin to treat the affected patients. Additionally, reserves will be kept under special storage conditions for use if needed.

Meanwhile, 24 Chasa frontpages an article identifying the Russian national Arina Osipova, known as Arina Goodz, as the person behind the illegal Botox treatments. The publication states that Osipova has been interrogated by the police, and the investigation remains ongoing. Her actions have drawn increased scrutiny from Bulgarian authorities on the issue of unlicensed cosmetic procedures using medical products.

BDA Executive Director Bogdan Kirilov addressed the issue in bTV’s morning talk show, stating that an ongoing investigation is being conducted. On February 4, an expert-level meeting was scheduled to analyze data from seized Botox toxin packaging linked to the unlicensed procedures performed by the individual in question. Kirilov explained that the woman who administered the illegal Botox treatments has provided a statement detailing what happened. Authorities aim to determine the exact nature of the drug used—whether it was unauthorized for use in Bulgaria. If necessary, the Bulgarian Drug Agency (BDA) will conduct further analysis to assess the product’s classification and investigate how it was imported into the country.

FINANCE & ECONOMY

In a debate on Nova TV’s morning show, financial expert Boris Petrov and economist Stoyan Panchev discussed Bulgaria's potential accession to the Eurozone.

Petrov said that the draft budget submitted by the previous caretaker government suggests massive fiscal expansion that is inconsistent with both the fixed exchange rate and Bulgaria's membership in the Eurozone. He raised the concern about whether the country would continue down a path of unprecedented fiscal loosening, questioning the sustainability of such policies.

Panchev, on the other hand, argued that it would be absurd to remove the currency board at this stage. He suggested that the only way to dismantle the currency board would be for Bulgaria to join the Eurozone. According to him, the exchange rate between the Bulgarian lev and the euro would depend on the decisions of other countries that have already adopted the euro. Petrov disagreed with this view, stating that the exchange rate would be set when Bulgaria enters the European Exchange Rate Mechanism.

Regarding Bulgaria's readiness to join the Eurozone, Petrov believes that the country meets all the necessary criteria, while Panchev expressed doubts about this assessment.

At the end of January, prominent economists and financial experts, including Evgenii Kanev, Georgi Ganev, Krasen Stanchev, Svetla Kostadinova, Tihomir Bezlov, Iliyan Vasilev and Miroslav Sevlieveski, initiated a petition addressed to the National Assembly Chair, the Prime Minister and the President. The petitioners argue that unless the Government takes urgent action for Bulgaria's accession to the eurozone, there is an escalating risk of a new wave of social grievances and political demagogy. It is highly probable that the ensuing logical consequence would be a political decision to abandon the lev-euro fixed exchange rate, thereby ending the currency board arrangement and existentially jeopardizing the stability of the country's monetary, financial and social system, the petition warns. To join the eurozone from January 1, 2026, Bulgaria has to request an extraordinary convergence report by the end of February at the latest. 

DEFENCE

In an interview with BNR, international security and geopolitics expert Prof. Rumen Kanchev commented on the informal meeting of EU leaders in Brussels on February 3, which focused on European defence. "There is a disrupted balance in the military-political and military-strategic responsibilities of Europeans towards NATO. All European leaders know that Europe's financial contribution to NATO is negligible, and in terms of technology, it is non-existent. Europe does not possess any of the high-tech systems used in modern warfare," Prof. Kanchev said. "Discussions about establishing an independent European defence are premature. These ideas do not originate from the U.S. but mainly from European leaders. Building an autonomous, NATO-independent European defence system is an extremely complex and costly endeavour. [...] If Europe wants to develop its own defence, it must be prepared to dedicate the next 20 years to producing and testing new high-tech weapons. According to experts in the field, this would cost two to three times more than the current financial contributions that European countries—though not all—make to NATO," Prof. Kanchev warned.

NGOs 

The Trud tabloid daily has published an article titled "America for Bulgaria Distributes Millions in Grants to Secure NGO Networks While Trump Is in Power". The publication says that the America for Bulgaria foundation has distributed grants to various NGOs until 2028, when U.S. President Donald Trump's mandate ends. According to the article, the organization has approved payments of BGN 23 million to the Trust for Social Achievement foundation and 12 million BGN to the Teach for Bulgaria foundation. Both NGOs, in turn, provide grants to smaller NGOs within their networks. The Trust for Social Achievement focuses on supporting Roma communities in Bulgaria. Teach for Bulgaria works towards ensuring equal access to quality education for all children in the country.

CRIME

All Tuesday media report on a 22-year-old woman who stabbed three people with a knife on Vitosha Boulevard, near South Park in Sofia, on Tuesday morning. According to Chief Commissioner Lyubomir Nikolov, the head of the Sofia Directorate of the Interior Ministry, the attacker suffers from severe mental illness.