site.btaMedia Review: February 12

HEADLINES

24 Chasa’s top story covers the Supreme Administrative Court's decision to overturn the formula used to calculate heating bills.

Duma reports that the municipal councils of Kozloduy and Krivodol in Northwestern Bulgaria are the first in the country to introduce dual price displays in local ordinances, listing all municipal services, taxes, and fees in both BGN and EUR, according to the Bulgarian National Radio (BNR). These changes are part of preparations for the adoption of the euro, in line with a law that took effect in August 2024.

In its lead article, Telegraph writes that starting Wednesday, a new GPS app will monitor driving lessons closely. The aim is for the State to oversee how driving schools train new drivers and to reduce road accidents. The app will become mandatory on July 12.

Citing the latest Eurostat data, Trud writes that Bulgarians have the lowest life satisfaction among European Union (EU) Member States, largely due to dissatisfaction with their jobs and pay. Bulgarians rate their job satisfaction at 6.2 out of 10, compared to the EU average of 7.4, the daily writes, adding that one in five pensioners lives in severe material deprivation.

POLITICS

Telegraph features an extensive interview with political analyst Strahil Deliyski, who shares his thoughts on the new Cabinet’s performance so far and the role of the opposition. He identifies policy formation, appointments, and public procurement management as potential areas of conflict. The political analyst suggests that the 2026 presidential election in Bulgaria may lead to a shift in power dynamics. In his words, the opposition is “heterogeneous” and attacks on the ruling majority is expected from at least three different groups: Vazrazhdane, Continue the Change - Democratic Bulgaria (CC-DB), and MRF - New Beginning. Despite this, he argues that the opposition is unlikely to bring down the government. Deliyski also comments on the upcoming BSP congress, where the party is expected to elect a new leader. Asked whether former BSP leader Korneliya Ninova's new political project could draw votes away from the party, Deliyski says that he does “not see any potential” in the new entity. 

Trud carries an interview with Labour and Social Policy Minister Borislav Gutsanov of BSP-United Left, who discusses the governance programme that the Cabinet is expected to present, the dynamics within the ruling coalition, the 2025 state budget, necessary social reforms, and the upcoming 51st congress of BSP. 

Interviewed by the Bulgarian National Radio, BSP National Council member Boyan Balev said that BSP's involvement in the government inevitably has negative effects for the party.  “We are in a parliament with 20 left-wing MPs and 220 right-wing MPs, so it is difficult to expect this government to pursue left-wing policies,” he added. Balev was adamant that new elections would not lead to radical change and that the country needs stable governance. He noted that it will be up to the new BSP leadership to decide whether the party’s role in the government will change.

Speaking on bTV's morning programme, CC-DB MP Ivaylo Mirchev said that his coalition is the only opposition in the current parliament. He commented on the process of filling positions in regulatory bodies with expired terms of office, saying CC-DB expect “a normal process where candidates will be evaluated based on their qualifications.” Regarding the upcoming vote on the 2025 state budget, Mirchev said that CC-DB will not support the bill on first reading. “If our policies, our right-wing proposals, are supported by the government on second reading, we will be happy to have them included in the budget,” he added. 

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The news about Lyudmila Petkova’s appointment as Director of the Public Financial Inspection Agency (PFIA) has caused tensions within the ruling coalition, and the media have extensively covered the fallout. The controversy stems from the fact that Petkova’s appointment was not discussed within the Joint Governance Council, as originally agreed. Capital.bg writes that after the Democracy, Rights, and Freedoms (DRF) parliamentary group strongly criticized the appointment on Monday, Finance Minister Temenuzhka Petkova took responsibility for the decision, saying that it was her personal choice and the Agency will not be used as a political tool.

On the Bulgarian National Television morning programme, DRF MP Hasan Ademov said that his parliamentary group will give Lyudmila Petkova the benefit of the doubt. "Our parliamentary group distinguishes between Petkova’s professional qualifications and her role as deputy prime minister and finance minister during Delyan Peevski’s government under Prime Minister Dimitar Glavchev,” he said. Ademov added that during her time as caretaker finance minister, nearly BGN 86 million were allocated from the state budget to municipalities led by mayors close to Delyan Peevski. “The selective approach to funding certain municipalities is a concern for our parliamentary group,” Ademov noted and suggested that if Petkova were to head the PFIA, municipalities that are close to the DRF could face pressure.

24 Chasa recalls that Lyudmila Petkova was the first deputy minister appointed in the new government. She remained in the Finance Ministry under new Minister Temenuzhka Petkova but was soon removed by Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov at Temenuzhka Petkova's request.

Capital.bg writes that the situation surrounding Petkova’s appointment has raised questions about the way second-tier government positions are filled. Following a suggestion from GERB leader Boyko Borissov, appointments were halted, with the argument that the state budget should be approved first. However, this was not the case, the media outlet notes. Early last week, by order of Prime Minister Zhelyazkov, six deputy ministers of GERB, BSP and There Is Such a People were appointed in three ministries. The Socialists were expected to appoint two more representatives - one for the Interior Ministry and one for the Agriculture Ministry. So far, this has not happened, although over the weekend, BSP’s acting leader, Atanas Zafirov, announced the appointment of Filip Popov as deputy interior minister. According to unofficial sources, MP Stefan Burdzhev is expected to be appointed deputy agriculture minister.

ECONOMY

24 Chasa writes that workers from Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and Nepal top the list of foreign workers in Bulgaria, with Moldovans and Turks following behind. The daily notes that businesses continue to struggle with a growing shortage of staff, with an estimated 250,000 vacancies across almost all sectors of the economy. This is primarily due to an aging population and record-low unemployment in Bulgaria, which fell below 150,000 in December 2024 for the first time.

The construction industry has the largest number of foreign workers from Turkiye, while the garment industry has had to hire employees from India and Sri Lanka, the daily adds.

Telegraph writes that due to a lack of interest in the welding profession, wages in this field are reaching levels similar to those of IT professionals. Citing a poll conducted by the Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry between January 29 and February 5, the daily notes that around 60% of employers are facing shortages of secondary-educated technical staff, including electricians, welders, machine operators, mechanics, technicians, as well as sales staff, waiters, tailors, and plumbers, among others.

In an interview with BNR, Atanas Katsarchev, Chief Economist at the Podkrepa Confederation of Labour, said that while the poverty line is set at BGN 638, the Confederation of Independent Trade Unions of Bulgaria has found that the real subsistence minimum is closer to BGN 1,500 per month. In Katsarchev’s words, official statistics show about 11% of Bulgarians are working poor, while the trade union’s data suggest the number is closer to 24%. 

HEALTH

Trud, Duma, and Telegraph report that on Tuesday, Parliament's Committee on Economic Policy and Innovation approved, on first reading, a bill proposing a complete ban on vapes and the sale of energy drinks to individuals under 18. The bill had been presented by Health Committee Chair Kostadin Angelov of GERB-UDF, who said that less than a year ago, the National Assembly passed a law banning vapes for under 18-s, but the problem has persisted and even worsened. He cited the case of a 14-year-old in Pleven (Northern Bulgaria) who died recently after falling from the seventh floor of an apartment building. The child had smoked a vape that was found to contain a narcotic substance.

In an interview on the BNT morning programme, Vladimir Dimitrov, head of the CyberCrime Unit at the General Directorate for Combating Organized Crime, said that a total ban on vapes would not necessarily solve the issue. “The role of individual citizens, families, and institutions is key here,” he added. “A complete ban on vaping devices would just create a market for something else,” Dimitrov said. He noted that they are currently taking action against about 20 websites marketing vapes containing narcotic substances.

Stefan Bakalov, head of the Combatting Drug Trafficking Department at the National Customs Agency, was a guest on Nova TV's morning show, where he expressed full support for the vapes ban. He also discussed the emergence of a new drug on the market - a substance used to tranquilize elephants that can induce a coma-like state in individuals. 

ENERGY

Duma reports that Ukraine's Parliament has passed a bill allowing the purchase of two Russian reactors previously bought from Bulgaria for the Belene nuclear power plant project. The reactors will be used to expand Ukraine's Khmelnytskyi nuclear power plant, the daily cites Ukrinform. Preliminary estimates suggest Ukraine will spend up to USD 1 billion on modernizing Khmelnytskyi NPP, including the reactors. According to a decision made by Bulgaria’s Parliament, the deal with Kyiv is only possible if the price exceeds USD 600 million, Duma adds.