site.btaMedia Review: March 24

HEADLINES

24 Chasa’s leading article covers a newly passed law for the establishment of a single-member joint stock company that would run store chains, where the markup on staple foods will be capped at 10%. The daily says that the law exposes the fact that stores currently charge up to a 30% markup. Also on its front page, the newspaper reports that more than 129,000 people across the country are already under a water regime, more than two months ahead of the summer season, according to the Regional Development and Public Works Ministry.

Telegraph’s top story is about a recent holiday scam where fake social media accounts posing as trustworthy sources trick people into making advance payments of 25% of the holiday cost.

Trud writes that pharmacists and pharmacy owners are campaigning to delay the implementation of e-prescriptions for all medicines, which is scheduled to begin on April 1. They warn the lack of unified software communication between doctors' and pharmacies' systems could lead to chaos.

Duma says that “tonnes of substandard gasoline and diesel are flooding the market in the country”. The daily cites data from the Interior Ministry gathered from a large-scale inspection of fuel sales points.

POLITICS

All media outlets report on the dissolution of the Morality, Unity, Honour (MECh) parliamentary group and speculate on the possible consequences.

On Friday, Parliament Chair Nataliya Kiselova unexpectedly announced that the MECh group was being dissolved because it is left with only nine MPs, while the minimum required is ten. The controversy arose because MECh had elected 11 MPs, two of whom had not yet taken their oath, and according to MECh leader Radostin Vasilev, they were scheduled to do so during Friday’s sitting.

The dailies quote Vasilev as saying in an interview with Bulgarian National Radio (BNR) on Sunday that he has a recording of a conversation with Kiselova, in which she allegedly said she was under intense pressure following the group’s reduction to nine MPs.

The topic was among the highlights of BNT’s morning programme, where Vasilev appeared as a guest in a segment titled “The MECh Case: Political and Legal Challenges Facing Small Political Entities in Parliament.” Vasilev said that Kiselova’s actions amounted to “political repression, pressure” against his parliamentary group. He added that Kiselova had illegally dissolved the MECh group and this would lead to "protests, the National Assembly will not be able to function, and blood will be shed inside".

Discussing the topic on the BNT programme, political analyst Maria Pirgova described the situation as “a storm in a teacup”, adding that it helped MECh “generate good PR”. In her words, “the parliamentary leadership made a mistake and there are political processes at play behind this”. Journalist Emilia Milcheva suggested that a process of disintegration of smaller parliamentary groups is underway, predicting that Velichie would be next.

Speaking on BNR, lawyer Peter Slavov said that "we may be on the verge of a new parliamentary crisis, which has yet to unfold". He added that any resolution would likely come through dialogue, not ultimatums. Slavov said that the issue could be discussed at the National Assembly Presiding Council and revisions to the Parliament’s rules of procedure could be considered. "It all comes down to political will," he said, adding that "then it will become clear what was really behind all this."

On Nova TV’s morning programme, political analyst Tatyana Burudzhieva and journalist Vladimir Yonchev discussed the Cabinet’s stability and the dissolution of the MECh group. Burudzhieva argued that the stability of the cabinet has depended on GERB-UDF from the very beginning. Yonchev said that the issue is “a test for democracy and the extent to which principles can be violated”. In his words, the situation will reveal who the strong players in the government are and who is weak in the opposition.

ECONOMY

Media outlets report on the adoption of the 2025 state budget following a 22-hour debate in Parliament that ended early on Friday. Finance Minister Temenuzhka Petkova discussed the topic on bTV’s morning programme.

Duma reports that the standard 20% VAT rate has been reintroduced for the restaurant sector, despite threats of protests by restaurant and hotel industry organizations demanding that the VAT remain at 9%. The reduced 9% VAT rate for restaurant and hotel services was introduced during the COVID-19 pandemic.

In an interview with Telegraph, Atanas Dimitrov, deputy chairperson of the Bulgarian Hotel and Restaurant Association, criticized the VAT increase and said that preparations for a nationwide protest are underway. He added that the rally is expected to take place in Sofia in ten to twelve days, as decided by 36 regional organizations and partner organizations.

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Speaking on BNR, Bulgarian Agrarian Chamber co-chairperson Ilia Prodanov commented on an agrifood chain bill presented by the Agriculture Ministry last week, describing it as a “crisis measure for Bulgarian producers and consumers”. The bill aims to regulate trade practices and the fair distribution of added value.

Prodanov recalled that the industry has been pushing for this bill for two years, citing major issues within the supply chain. He said that the bill would cover 22 staple products and could lead to price reductions of up to 20%.

DEFENCE 

Telegraph quotes Defence Minister Zapryanov as saying in a BNR interview on Sunday that compulsory military training is being considered for professions that involve the use of weapons. Zapryanov also identified the modernization of the Bulgarian Armed Forces as a key priority. Also on BNR, Tomislav Donchev, Deputy Prime Minister and Innovation and Growth Minister, said that this modernization would positively impact the country’s economy and could later enhance Bulgaria’s export potential. 

Mediapool.bg has an analysis titled “Will We Have Conscription Service or Another Form of Military Training Again?” Currently, the Bulgarian army is made up entirely of professional soldiers and reserves, but the country has previously saw periods of mass citizen participation in the military. During the Cold War, Bulgaria had compulsory conscription service for all men over the age of 18 and the army numbered 120,000 troops, and during mobilization, it could reach 600,000. During this time, Bulgaria was one of the most militarized countries, with a defense budget of 14-15% of GDP and major militarization of industry, the media outlet says. After the Cold War, Bulgaria drastically reduced its defense budget and began downsizing military personnel and equipment. Conscription was completely abolished on January 1, 2008. One of the ongoing challenges is the shortage of people willing to serve in the army. According to the Defence Ministry, the army is currently understaffed by an average of 20%, which is near the limit of its ability to function even in peacetime.

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Trud carries an extensive interview with Spas Tashev, PhD in history, who comments on the defence cooperation declaration signed by Croatia, Kosovo and Albania on March 16. In his words, the military alliance is aimed at deterring future Serbian aggression. He adds that media outlets in Serbia, Croatia, and Albania have speculated that Bulgaria could be a potential partner in this military agreement, noting that it seems logical for this country to join “based on the analysis of facts and traditional interests”. However, there has been little discussion about this issue in Bulgaria. Tashev adds that Albania’s Defense Minister, Pirro Vengu, has said that Bulgaria had expressed interest in participating in the initiative. Vengu believes that "his Bulgarian colleagues share the same understanding of regional threats and are equally committed to countering destabilization".

Tashev also says that North Macedonia’s pro-Serbian government is unlikely to be interested in participating in the initiative. However, given Albania and Kosovo's concerns about Serbia's destabilizing role in the region, Tashev suggests that “North Macedonia’s Albanians will not remain passive while Belgrade attempts to absorb the country”.

Asked whether the agreement's goal is to protect Kosovo, Tashev says that it is not just about Kosovo. “Croatia has no national interests in Kosovo, but it does in Bosnia and Herzegovina. That is why Zagreb is concerned about Bosnia's continued destabilization and disintegration. From this perspective, this military cooperation is defensive, aimed at deterring future Serbian aggression abroad. Nobody intends to deal with Serbia itself within its borders,” he adds.

TURKIYE

All media outlets report that protests in Turkiye over the arrest of ousted Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, a key rival to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, show no signs of subsiding. Duma recalls that Imamoglu was detained last week on the same day he was supposed to announce his bid for the 2028 Turkish presidential elections as a candidate of the Republican People's Party. Thousands of people have protested Imamoglu’s arrest, with anti-government protests held in major cities such as Ankara, Istanbul, Izmir, Bursa, Malatya, Diyarbakır, the daily adds. On Sunday, Imamoglu was formally arrested on corruption charges. 

Trud quotes TRT Haber, which reports that investigations launched by the Istanbul Prosecutor’s Office against Imamoglu and 99 other suspects are ongoing. The allegations include leading a criminal organisation, being part of a criminal organization, extortion, bribery, fraud, illegal seizure of personal data, and bid rigging.

International affairs analyst Martin Tabakov comments on the topic in an interview with 24 Chasa. He says that “Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s rule in Turkiye has been described as ‘competitive authoritarianism" in the specialised literature. This implies that elections in Turkiye are free but not fair”, meaning that the terms of the race are not equal for all. “If you are a candidate of the ruling status quo, you can count on media, economic and legal privileges,” Tabakov adds. “The possible elimination of Imamoglu from the presidential race marks a new phase in the rise of this authoritarianism: the regime is now not only setting the terms of the race but also determining who can participate,” he says.

Speaking on bTV’s morning programme, journalist Mehmet Yumer said that President Erdogan “has a strong desire for revenge against Imamoglu, who has already defeated him three times -  twice in the 2019 elections, when Imamoglu emerged as a political star in Turkiye”. Yumer added that the protests on the streets are no longer just about Imamoglu but “about Turkiye itself”.

Former Bulgarian Foreign Minister Nadezhda Neynsky also shared her thoughts on the situation on the BNT morning programme. She said that Erdogan is "playing a very risky game" and recalled that Erdogan himself was arrested when he was Istanbul Mayor, which significantly boosted his public support after his release. Neynsky added that "young people in Turkiye are particularly sensitive to threats to democracy", noting that the future of “Turkiye's democracy is now being decided by Turkiye itself” and not through external interference.

SPORTS 

On its front page, 24 Chasa reports that Tervel Zamfirov has made history as the first Bulgarian to win a title at an International Ski and Snowboard Federation championship, claiming gold in the men’s parallel slalom in Switzerland. The daily also highlights the achievement of blind para athlete Victor Asenov, who climbed Vitosha Mountain highest peak, Cherni Vrah, 19 times in a row, starting from Aleko Hut, (the equivalent of the distance to Everest). The 46-hour-and-8-minute mission aimed to support guide dog training. The topic was also covered by other dailies.