site.btaMedia Review: February 10

POLITICS

Trud covers statements by several political figures offered their views on the 2025 budget.

Bozhidar Bozhanov, Continue the Change-Democratic Bulgaria (CC-DB) Deputy Floor Leader, says, “One part of the 2025 budget is for the eurozone, the rest is for specific policies we might not approve as the opposition.” He adds, “We will see whether these measures include differentiating wages in the Ministry of Interior, holding medication tenders in private hospitals, and gradually requiring State officials to cover their own insurance contributions. We said that at second reading we will support policies that limit spending and keep the deficit at 3% because that is a criterion for entering the eurozone.”

Kostadin Angelov, GERB-UDF Deputy Floor Leader, says, “We will submit a budget that aims to meet all necessary expenses without lowering pensions or wages in the public sector, while taxes and insurance contributions remain unchanged.” He adds, “We do not run from the eurozone, we move toward it.”

Minister of Labour and Social Policy Borislav Gutsanov says, “The budget will be ready this week, or next week at latest. There will be no tax increases or cuts to social benefits.” He says that capping markups on goods is a priority, and a bill to address this needs to be presented to the National Assembly. Gutsanov stresses that the Ministry of Finance, in particular the Customs and the National Revenue Agency, have a key role preventing the growth of the shadow economy and the decline of revenue and GDP.

GERB former finance minister Vladislav Goranov, says, “We have problems with the fiscal framework because of [CC-DB former finance minister] Assen Vassilev’s casual approach to public finances.” He explains that throughout much of the political crisis after 2021, Vassilev held the position of finance minister, guiding the direction and informing politicians about what was feasible and what was not. If a finance minister assures parliament that everything is fine and that wealth can be quickly gained through borrowing, politicians lack a real or political incentive to shield the finance minister from making poor decisions, Goranov concludes. He adds, “It seems we ended up in a situation where Parliament had to protect the budget from the finance minister.”

Chair of the Parliamentary Committee on Budget and Finance Delian Dobrev says, “We must reduce expenses and increase revenue. It sounds very simple but is extremely difficult” He noted that the gap of BGN 18 billion is very visible, once certain made-up revenue items were removed. Dobrev addresses an expected revenue gap of BGN 300 million between the tax amnesty from the Finance Ministry estimates and the BGN 4 billion set in the budget, alleging an error of this magnitude could only have happened intentionally.

Vazrazhdane leader Kostadin Kostadinov says, “The collapse of the currency board frees BGN 74 billion for the government to spend, which would be a massive theft.” He explains, “Bulgaria is being literally forcefully pushed into the eurozone with falsified data” and says the annual inflation rate of 2.6% for 2024, reported by the National Statistical Institute, is a lie, a documentary fraud, and a betrayal of national interests.

24 Chasa coves statements by Deputy Chair of the National Assembly and DB Leader Atanas Atanassov, who says, “We will not support the budget, as we are the opposition, and the opposition cannot support the government’s budget”. He explains no debate on the budget has been held in CC-DB’s parliamentary group. He calls the alleged BGN 18 billion shortfall non-existent, and a way for settling scores on some old rivalry between [GERB-UDF’s] Delian Dobrev and [CC-DB’s] Assen Vassilev.

“Three days after the elections, I had certain information that negotiations were taking place for a coalition of GERB, BSP, and There Is Such a People (TISP),” Atanassov adds. He claims these talks involved GERB Leader Boyko Borissov, BSP-United Left’s Kiril Dobrev, TISP Leader Slavi Trifonov, and former GERB ranking member and politician Orlin Alexiev. Atanassov also warned of potential behind-the-scenes deals in appointing the heads of the state regulators.

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Bulgarian National Radio (BNR) reported that sociologist Svetlin Tachev believes the 2025 budget is the critical test for whether the government will continue effectively. He expects it to pass, suggesting that tension over the alleged “big deficit” may be inflated so the ruling parties can later claim success in fixing previous mistakes.

Tachev sees a reconfiguration of Bulgarian political dynamics aligned with global conservatism, pointing to the rise of Donald Trump and a conservative wave in Europe: “Everyone wants to be conservative now.” He argued that parties lack genuine political ideas, relying instead on imported rhetoric, such as calling for foreign-agent laws or investigating ties with Soros. Tachev also noted that this government appears somewhat more cohesive behind the scenes, where decisions are coordinated to accommodate each partner’s interests.

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24 Chasa, Duma and Telegraph write that the Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) has decided to revert to electing its chair through the party congress rather than a direct vote introduced in 2020 by former party leader Kornelia Ninova. The National Council approves removing both direct leadership elections and term limits for members of parliament, but the final decision rests with the party congress on February 15 and 16, 2025. Seventeen candidates are in the running.

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24 Chasa covers a round of political appointments. The article says that Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov appoints Denitsa Zheleva as his chief of staff. Zheleva has experience in foreign affairs and had previously assumed the same role in the most recent government lead by Boyko Borissov. Nikola Nikolov, GERB Public Relations, heads the Public Relations office in the Council of Ministers. Zhelyakov adds two more advisors to his cabinet.

Deputy Prime Minister Tomislav Donchev also brings two members from his previous team, including a former head of cabinet and a media relations coordinator.

Former caretaker prime minister Dimitar Glavchev rejects as “lies” any claims about a record number of appointments during his term, saying he used only part of his available posts.

Minister of Culture Marian Bachev dismisses his chief of staff after two weeks and appointed Diana Mladenova, executive director for the television programme of TISP Leader Slavi Trifonov, to the role.

BSP - United Left leader Atanas Zafirov says BSP will get three deputy minister seats in the Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Environment and Water, and the Ministry of Agriculture, with longtime MP Filip Popov going to the interior ministry. Meanwhile, Finance Minister Temenuzhka Petkova appointed Kiril Ananiev and Galya Dimitrova as her deputies, and other deputy ministers were confirmed at the Ministry of Economy (Nevena Lazarova), Ministry of Health (Yavor Penchev), and the Ministry of Innovation (Martin Danovski).

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Dnevnik reports that GERB MP Denitsa Sacheva clarifies why Finance Minister Temenuzhka Petkova first appointed, then dismissed ex-caretaker finance minister Ludmila Petkova as her deputy. Sacheva says the initial move was to ensure continuity but that Petkova likely “needed a different team” for the job.

Meanwhile, Valentin Tonchev from MRF-Democracy, Rights and Freedoms (DRF), loyal to Ahmed Dogan, claims MRF-New Beginning Leader Delyan Peevski “still has positions of power in ministries,” accusing former finance minister Lyudmila Petkova of not being entirely independent when drafting the caretaker cabinet’s budget. He calls that budget “sabotage against joining the eurozone.”

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bTV and Nova TV reported that MRF-New Beginning leader Delyan Peevski said, “We are gathering, summarizing, and providing the US government with information about the organisations, media, and individuals that carried out manipulative and propagandistic activities.” Peevski attributed this work to funding from “the resources of American taxpayers,” channelled through the foundations of George and Alexander Soros and “their Bulgarian resident,” businessman Ivo Prokopiev.

Peevski proposed creating an Anti-Soros Commission in parliament to investigate “sorosoid grant recipients,” claiming that large sums of money were distributed to promote “fake news” and suppress political pluralism. “Whoever does not support this commission becomes an accomplice in the ongoing destruction of Bulgaria,” Peevski said.

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Dnevnik and BNR cover an interview with media scholar Georgi Lozanov, who notes that civil society becomes "the greatest enemy" when those in power dominate both the state and business sectors. He explains that labelling critics as "sorosoids" emerged as a tactic to discredit non-governmental organizations and liberal-democratic voices, with financier George Soros portrayed as a convenient villain. Lozanov adds that this strategy is designed to protect ruling elites from accountability by redirecting blame toward an imagined enemy.

Lozanov warns of a growing trend where democracy is giving way to authoritarian practices, fuelled by autocratic interests aiming to suppress civil society's role as an independent check on governance. He points out that similar attacks on NGOs and critical voices are well-documented in Russia and Hungary and cautions that some Bulgarian politicians seem prepared to adopt these methods. He stresses that ongoing civic engagement and public solidarity in defence of democratic values are essential safeguards against corrupt or autocratic rule.

ECONOMY

Nova TV reported that Nadya Vasileva from the Bulgarian Employment Confederation called for streamlined procedures to hire foreign workers, saying, “Employers struggle to find the human resources needed for economic development.” She noted a serious mismatch between supply and demand for qualified staff, driven by demographic decline: “One hundred retiring workers are replaced by only sixty.” She said authorities should create a global plan to address labour shortages, encouraging rapid, state-assisted recruitment from non-EU countries.

“Some foreign workers would accept the minimum wage, which might cool tensions in the labour market,” Vasileva said. She questioned data suggesting half of Bulgarians are willing to work in the grey sector, explaining that those who do so may be paying off loans or holding second jobs. “Perhaps instead of a personal income tax, a personal income bonus should be introduced,” she added, noting that many people remain unconvinced about what happens to the taxes they pay.

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Mediapool.bg reports that two key figures from the major gambling scandal five years ago, Vassil Bozhkov and Vladislav Goranov, have reached the same conclusion: the gambling industry requires stronger state regulation. Both were sanctioned by the US Treasury under the Magnitsky Act.

Bozhkov, who returned from Dubai in 2024 and started his political initiative “Centre,” argued at the time that gambling is harmful and should be completely banned. Goranov, a former GERB finance minister, recently told Bulgarian National Television (BNT) that he supports strict regulations not only on vaping products but also on gambling and pawn shops, due to concerns about increasing crime and addiction, particularly among young people.

Although Bozhkov’s fall disrupted his own gambling empire, the industry itself has continued to grow, especially in online betting. Mediapool.bg points out the paradox that Bozhkov, once a leading figure in the industry, and Goranov, who was in office when the scandal erupted, are now both advocating for stricter state control over gambling.

LAW ENFORCEMENT

Dnevnik writes that, since Bulgaria fully joined the Schengen area, the Ministry of Interior continues to verify whether an adult traveling with a minor has consent from the other parent. Between January 2025 and the present, 30 children have been prevented from leaving the country—mostly when trying to travel to non-Schengen countries, though a few were intercepted at internal borders. In 2024, a total of 1,492 minors were stopped, most often due to lacking a notarized declaration from the absent parent or because of a court-imposed travel ban. Officials explained that random checks for proper documentation continue at airports and border crossings, including for flights within the Schengen zone. The ministry advises parents to keep the notarized declarations at all times and to immediately call 112 or seek a court order if they suspect an unlawful attempt to remove a child from Bulgaria.

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Dnevnik reports that the Prosecutor’s Office refused to disclose a 2007 prosecutorial decree terminating an investigation of MRF-New Beginning Leader Delyan Peevski, citing that “acts of the prosecutor” do not fall under the Access to Public Information Act (APIA).

In 2007, then-head of the state-owned Bulgartabac, Hristo Lachev, accused deputy minister Delyan Peevski of exerting pressure.

Then-prime minister Sergey Stanishev fired Peevski, prompting prosecutors to open a pretrial investigation. Prosecutor Ivanka Trifonova said at the time that a witness corroborated Lachev's claims, but the case was closed three months later for lack of evidence, and Peevski returned to government.

Media reports identified that the witness is Petyo Petrov, who was Peevski’s direct superior when Peevski was appointed to the Sofia investigative service. Petrov, who has emerged in multiple criminal cases as a prosecutorial witness, was accused by a court of a bribery provocation but avoided charges. He eventually left the judiciary with a large severance package.

Deputy Prosecutor General Elena Karakasheva signed the refusal, claiming criminal investigative acts are not covered by APIA. Dnevnik pointed out that this contradicts both the law and established court practice, which indicate that decisions to terminate such proceedings do qualify as public information.

In 2024, acting Prosecutor General Borislav Sarafov asked the Supreme Administrative Court to exclude much of the Prosecutor’s Office’s work from APIA, signalling an effort to curtail transparency.

Alexander Kashumov of the Access to Information Programme criticised the Prosecutor’s Office for blocking scrutiny, describing it as “the most serious attempt to undermine democracy by restricting the fundamental right of access to public information from the most unaccountable institution since the start of the transition.”

DEFENCE

Trud, 24 Chasa, Telegraph, Mediapool.bg and Dnevnik write that six flights were delayed from Friday to Saturday because of a drone hovering above Sofia Airport. The airport says three arriving flights each had 20-minute delays, and three departing flights each had 30-minute delays. The owner of the drone is still unidentified.

“The event has serious consequences,” Hristo Hristov from the National Board for Aircraft, Maritime and Railway Accident Investigation says. He notes that it was located west of Sofia, close to runway 09. Air traffic authorities detected it and alerted approaching aircraft, activating the security system. The drone is still not found.

“We cannot determine the intentions of this person or these people,” Hristov says and adds that stricter measures should apply to drone owners, and such actions should be treated as a crime. He adds that operating such an aircraft requires permission from the General Directorate Civil Aviation Administration, which was not requested. Hristov says this was the second or third incident in a month and a half.

Minister of Transport and Communications Grozdan Karadjov instructs the Bulgarian Air Traffic Services Authority (BULATSA) to propose a technical solution for early detection and tracking of drones entering the approach, take-off, and landing zones at Bulgarian airports. “Conventional counter-drone systems are not applicable in these facilities, because they may affect communication and navigation equipment,” Karadjov says.

Air traffic controllers monitor the drone from the place of its entry to the place of its exit, remaining in contact with the Ministry of Interior, Border Police, and the State Agency for National Security. Several incoming aircraft are rescheduled to ensure safety. The Ministry of Interior says search for the drone's owner is underway.

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Nova TV interviewed the head of the Bulgarian Aviation Industry Association, Todor Ivandzhikov, who said: “We cannot rely solely on visual spotting. This drone was hacked, with no tracking devices—this is a provocation and must be investigated.” Ivandzhikov explained that airports need modern anti-drone systems and trackers to detect both drones and their operators. “A drone crash could cause serious damage,” Ivandzhikov warned, noting that some airports worldwide have already begun investing in such technology.

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24 Chasa and Dnevnik wrote that Minister of Defence Atanas Zapryanov says, "F-16 is the aircraft designated to protect Bulgarian airspace." Zapryanov notes that Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov asked him to remain in his position, as this year is vital for the army's rearmament, and he agreed without hesitation.

Zapryanov recounts his recent trip to the United States for the acceptance of the F-16 Block 70. "This is a historic moment, as our military aviation will receive a new combat aircraft with a Western design." He mentions that the first two of the eight planes are expected to arrive around March-April, with two or three more arriving mid-year, and the final three by late September.

This is the aircraft that must guard Bulgarian airspace, Zapryanov says. “By cost and combat capabilities, it is the optimal choice. Regionally, Romania and Poland also operate F-16, so we are fully integrating our combat aviation with NATO. This plane shares the same weapons as the F-35."

Zapryanov adds that collective defence through NATO is the most economical model, saying, “If we wanted to rely solely on ourselves, we would need an army three or four times larger, spending not BGN 4 billion but BGN 16 billion, which is impossible for our economy.”

SOCIETY

Telegraph reports that synthetic drugs, including nitrous oxide, are becoming more accessible to minors. Security footage shows a white van delivering prohibited items to students outside a Sofia school. “They said it was alcohol, but it turned out to be nitrous oxide,” a witness reports. Acting on the report, police later discovered over 400 canisters in a nightclub. “We reached a possible suspect in this act,” Yordan Peshev from the Economic Police Department notes. Authorities in Sofia seized 3716 canisters of nitrous oxide and 2321 electronic smoking devices in January, with most users aged between 17 and 20.

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Vice President Iliana Iotova said the upcoming meeting of the Consultative Council on National Security (CCNS), focused on drug-related threats to children, is “extremely timely.” She called for “extensive involvement,” pointing out that the issue cannot be addressed by a single ministry or institution. “It requires a broad campaign, from the Ministry of Interior to the Ministry of Education, as well as the non-governmental sector,” Iotova noted. She believes that “all institutions have underestimated the problem,” and hopes to see legislative reforms and practical measures in schools, with an emphasis on parental responsibility.

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Bulgarian National Television (BNT) reported that psychoactive substances, including vape liquids, "cookies," and gummies, are becoming an increasing threat to children. "We warned two years ago that e-cigarettes would be a significant risk for youth," said Stefan Bakalov from the Customs Agency, highlighting incidents where minors have collapsed or even died from vapes containing banned chemicals. He also expressed concern about synthetic opioids, describing them as inexpensive, highly potent alternatives to traditional drugs: "They create a 'Russian roulette' effect—one in ten doses can be fatal." Experts hope that early awareness campaigns will discourage young people from engaging in these dangerous trends.