site.btaMedia Review: February 24

SOLIDARITY MARCHES FOR UKRAINE

Online news outlet Mediapool.bg reports that a solidarity march in support of the Ukrainian people and Bulgaria’s European path will take place in Sofia on February 24, marking three years since the start of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The event is organized by civic activists in Facebook. At 6:00 p.m., a rally titled "Peace for Europe and the World Through Ukraine’s Victory!" will be held in front of the Presidency building, organized by Ukrainian organizations. At 7:30 p.m., a march under the slogan "Together with Europe, together with Ukraine" will set off from the Presidency, concluding in front of the building of the Representation of the European Commission in Bulgaria on 124 Georgi S. Rakovski Street. Participants will illuminate the area with their mobile phones and observe a minute of silence in memory of the victims of Russian aggression, Mediapool.bg writes.

Just two days ago, the European Commission building in Sofia was vandalized by activists from the nationalist, Eurosceptic Vazrazhdane party. A few days earlier, Bulgaria’s Parliament refused to officially condemn Russia as an aggressor, while President Rumen Radev remains one of the few European leaders taking a pro-Russian stance, Mediapool.bg recalls.

The Bulgarian National Radio (BNR), Eurocom, and OFFNews.bg also cover the topic.

BNR reports that the Ukrainian community in Plovdiv will also mark the third anniversary of Russia’s war against Ukraine on Monday. They invite all supporters of the cause to gather at 6:00 p.m. in front of the Church of the Dormition of the Holy Mother of God in the city.

Meanwhile, online news outlet BoulevardBulgaria informs that a march under the slogan "Support for Ukraine – Security for Europe" will take place in Veliko Tarnovo’s Mother Bulgaria Square at 5:30 p.m.

AFTERMATH OF VAZRAZHDANE RIOT IN SOFIA

Several Bulgarian media outlets, including the Bulgarian National Television, bTV, Segabg.com, 24Chasa, and Trud, report that ten individuals have been arrested following Saturday’s violent incidents during a protest against the adoption of the euro, organized by the nationalist Vazrazhdane party in front of the European Commission Representation in Sofia. Authorities are still searching for additional suspects.

According to Chief Commissioner Lyubomir Nikolov, head of the Sofia Directorate of the Interior Ministry, one of those detained is a minor. The arrested individuals face charges of public order violations carried out with particular audacity and cynicism. Nikolov added that further arrests are likely, as four identified suspects are currently in Sofia, while two others are located outside the capital and will be detained soon.

Several police officers sustained injuries during the clashes. Nikolov explained that law enforcement had not expected the crowd, led by Vazrazhdane MPs, to turn violent. Based on an official inquiry to Vazrazhdane’s leadership, which assured authorities that the demonstration would not escalate, police officers were instructed by Nikolov himself to oversee the event without riot gear or additional protective equipment. Segabg.com recalls that the violence follows a pattern of previous aggressive actions by Vazrazhdane, including an attempted break-in at the Bulgarian National Bank and a violent altercation inside the Varna Municipality building.

Nikolov further revealed that a Vazrazhdane MP was among the most active participants in the vandalism against the European Commission Representation building. While he did not specify a name, Vazrazhdane Deputy Chair Tsoncho Ganev, later confirmed that the MP in question was Ivaylo Chorbov. According to Nikolov, Chorbov had covered his face with a scarf to avoid recognition and was released upon identification, Segabg.com also writes.

In Nikolov’s words, the Interior Ministry estimates that the protest drew between 2,500 and 3,000 people, many of whom were transported to Sofia on 53 buses.

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24Chasa puts the story on its frontpage and titles it "Masks Did Not Hide Them, Immunity Saved Them from Arrest".

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Vazrazhdane’s attempt to storm the EU mission building in Sofia was discussed by political scientists Georgi Kiryakov and Hristo Panchugov in Nova TV’s morning talk show on Monday.

Kiryakov dismissed claims that Bulgarian society is undergoing radicalization. "It is unlikely that the entire society is becoming radicalized. However, a specific group is indeed becoming more radical and, in turn, provoking the same reaction in another group. We are witnessing a polarization between so-called Atlanticists and their opponents—the so-called Neutralists. However, they have not truly been neutral for a long time, as they have been actively advocating for a different trajectory for both Bulgarian society and the Bulgarian state. [Vazrazhdane leader] Kostadin Kostadinov has successfully tapped into these sentiments, positioning himself as their voice—a role he has played quite effectively for years. What we are seeing is not a radicalization of society as a whole but a radicalization of specific groups whose goal is to polarize public opinion to the extent that Bulgaria’s European choice is brought into question," Kiryakov explained.

Panchugov believes that Vazrazhdane has been testing public sentiment in recent weeks. "They behave like four- or five-year-old children testing boundaries. When the parents are absent, they feel free to do whatever they want. Kostadin Kostadinov is a skilled performer—he senses the mood of the people and successfully dramatizes it," he said. Panchugov also noted that this is happening against the backdrop of the failure of the pro-European camp to clearly explain why Bulgaria should adopt the euro.

"The real issue is that since 2020, the government and the political elite have failed to communicate Bulgaria's place within the EU. The Eurozone is not just an economic matter, it is a seat at the decision-making table. Vazrazhdane seeks to strip Bulgarian citizens of their place in European decision-making—this needs to be said clearly," he argued.

Kiryakov added that the recent unrest has been fuelled by the government’s reluctance to respond adequately to the situation.

POLITICS

In an interview with bTV, Regional Development and Public Works Minister Ivan Ivanov commented on the planned increase in toll fees for heavy-duty vehicles and vignette prices for passenger cars, as outlined in the 2025 State Budget Bill. According to Ivanov, the 20% toll fee hike for freight transport will have minimal impact on food prices. He cited Road Infrastructure Agency calculations showing that for a truck carrying two tons of food, the additional cost per kilogramme would be less than a cent. This contradicts the stance of the Chamber of the Road Transport Companies in Bulgaria, which warns of inevitable higher delivery costs and a rise in food prices.

The minister acknowledged that raising road fees was a difficult but necessary decision, explaining that Bulgaria’s road maintenance and repair funding falls far short of the 3 billion BGN needed. He assured that revenue from tolls and vignettes is exclusively allocated to road rehabilitation.

According to Segabg.com, the 2025 State Budget Bill anticipates toll revenue increasing by BGN 198.9 million, reaching BGN 711.5 million annually. In 2024, revenue stood at BGN 512.6 million. Additionally, vignette prices will return to pre-COVID levels, with the annual car vignette rising from BGN 87 to BGN 97, expected to generate an extra BGN 16.5 million per year.

ECONOMY

24 Chasa has an interview with Assoc. Prof. Atanas Atanasov, President of the National Statistical Institute (NSI), in which he explains that the high inflation rate recorded in January 2025 was primarily driven by rising prices of essential food products and electricity. "The main reason behind the 2.0% monthly inflation in January 2025 compared to December 2024 is the price increase of key goods such as bread and flour, and changes in VAT. Additionally, the price of electricity rose by 8.4%, while adjustments in VAT for restaurants led to a 2.2% increase in dining costs. Fuel prices also went up, as did mobile service charges. While some prices did decline, the overall number of increases was significantly higher," Atanasov says.

Addressing requests from MPs for NSI to provide raw data used to calculate inflation, Atanasov stated that this was not possible. "It is absolutely prohibited by the Statistics Act and European regulations for NSI to disclose individual raw data—whether to MPs, representatives of the executive branch, or the judiciary. NSI, as well as other statistical authorities and their employees, are legally bound not to disclose or share individual statistical data. Furthermore, we must adhere to the European Statistics Code of Practice, which mandates equal access to statistical information for all users. The same principle is enshrined in our [Bulgaria’s] Statistics Act, which establishes impartiality as a core requirement—ensuring that statistical information is compiled, produced, and disseminated neutrally, treating all users equally," he explains.

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The Telegraph tabloid daily also covers the surge in the electricity price with a frontpage story titled "Shock and Awe with Electricity Bills".

PUBLIC HEALTH

The Trud tabloid daily features a front-page story addressing issues in public mental health. According to the article, titled "Mentally Ill Left on the Streets", Bulgaria is experiencing a rise in cases of neurotic disorders and an increase in the number of individuals suffering from drug-induced psychosis. At the same time, the country faces a severe lack of specialized facilities for hospitalization, staff shortages, and major organizational difficulties within the mental healthcare system.