site.btaMedia Review: September 30

ROBBIE WILLIAMS CONCERT TRUCKS – BRIBERY SCANDAL

The scandal involving alleged bribes demanded by Executive Agency Road Transport Administration (RTA) employees from drivers of trucks transporting equipment for Robbie Williams’ concert in Sofia continues to dominate the media headlines. The scandal became public after it transpired that the Bulgarian police and the British Embassy had been informed about the incident.

Dnevnik: The two already dismissed employees of the Executive Agency Road Transport Administration (RTA), suspected of taking bribes from truck drivers transporting equipment for the Robbie Williams concert, demanded money from five people but received it from three, the head of Sofia Police, Lyubomir Nikolov, told journalists Monday.

He specified that the convoy, which entered Sofia on the evening of 25 September (Thursday), consisted of 22 trucks, but five of them were stopped near the "Black Cat" hotel at the end of the Trakia motorway. Claiming that the trucks’ tachographs did not meet requirements, the drivers were told they faced a fine of EUR 750. As an alternative, the RTA employees took BGN 200 from two of the drivers and EUR 300 from a third.

“Interestingly, there was a language barrier between the parties, and the demands were made with the help of Google Translate,” Commissioner Nikolov noted. He added that one of the drivers did not have the required amount on him and was escorted to an ATM to withdraw it.

During searches of the cars, offices and vehicles of the dismissed employees, a total of EUR 43,000 and BGN 5,000 hidden in cigarette boxes were found. Three ID cards belonging to foreign citizens and one to a Bulgarian were also discovered, which had probably been taken as collateral until the individuals repaid, Nikolov said. In response to a question, he clarified that the trucks’ tachographs were not inspected, but the vehicles were new and should not have had problems with the devices. Nikolov also said the signal had been submitted by the concert organisers, and footage from cameras in the area confirmed the accounts of the extorted drivers.

There was also a camera on the vehicle used by the RTA employees, but its footage has not yet been reviewed, said the Agency’s executive director, Spas Monov. He added that the RTA does not receive many reports of corruption, but all are checked.

He also said that the corruption suspects had been employees since 2012 and had not previously been the subject of reports or complaints, nor had any irregularities been detected in their work.
“Any such reports concern us. An internal inspection is underway, and I hope we will root out such inherited old corrupt practices,” Monov added.

In response to a question, the deputy head of the General Directorate for Combating Organized Crime, Dimitar Kapitanov, stated that for now it cannot be said that this is a case of an organized criminal group. “We have an anti-corruption department, and it assisted colleagues from the Sofia Directorate of Interior,” Kapitanov explained.

Earlier in the day, Transport Minister Grozdan Karadjov announced that the two RTA employees were dismissed on Friday, after the Ministry learned of the case the day before. “There will be an immediate and uncompromising response from us against anyone who dares to demand bribes and work in the old ways,” the Minister warned.

The prosecution office announced that the two RTA employees were charged with bribery on 28 September and detained for 72 hours.

***

NOVA TV: Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov addressed the recent bribery case. Asked whether the public perception of corruption exceeds the actual scale, Zhelyazkov acknowledged both perspectives: while perception may be heightened, there is a genuine commitment to immediate action and law enforcement.

He emphasized that structural reforms are imminent, including the creation of a centralized road oversight authority to prevent future abuse. Despite internal departmental disagreements that have slowed progress, Zhelyazkov assured that measures will be implemented visibly and effectively.

This statement reinforces the government’s broader effort to tackle systemic corruption in transport administration, following arrests and investigations that uncovered cash and improperly held identification documents linked to extortion practices.

***

Bulgarian National TV: Grozdan Karadjov addressed systemic corruption in the RTA, citing repeated reports of bribery as evidence of entrenched issues in control functions. Speaking on Bulgarian National TV, Karadjov described the recent scandal involving staff demanding bribes from organizers of Robbie Williams’ concert as “shameful” and emphasized the government’s commitment to zero tolerance for corruption.

He noted that over the past eight months, seven employees implicated in similar schemes had been dismissed, though many whistleblowers initially feared retaliation and declined to formally sign complaints. The recent case marked a turning point, with employees now coming forward in writing about pressure from supervisors to collect illicit payments.

He stressed full cooperation between the RTA, the Sofia police, and prosecutors in the Robbie Williams case, leading to arrests and the discovery of cash and falsified documents. As a long-term measure, he suggested moving the Road Transport Administration under police oversight to strengthen on-the-ground monitoring and reduce opportunities for abuse.

***

Trud: The Road Safety Institute reacted to the arrest of two RTA employees, who were caught taking bribes from the crew organizing Robbie Williams’ concert in Sofia. Investigators later found EUR 40,000 and BGN 5,000 in their homes.

According to the Institute, this is not an isolated incident but part of a long-running, well-structured corruption scheme within the Ministry of Transport and Communications. The organization listed several warning signs: inspectors acting with impunity, significant sums of money discovered, numerous ignored corruption reports, attempts to cover up the scandal, and questionable personnel appointments by Minister Grozdan Karadjov.

The Institute demanded an independent and transparent review of the RTA with external experts, a public report from the Ministry on measures taken, a full review of staff appointments made by Minister Karadjov.

The Institute stressed that road safety and public trust cannot exist under systemic corruption and lack of accountability.

***

bTV quotes Vladimir Kolev, Director of the Automobile Inspection unit at the RTA, who stated that a one-year retrospective audit of the Sofia regional office has been initiated and confirmed that the inspectors will face consequences. Details of the ongoing investigation remain limited, as authorities have not yet released the full case materials. 

POLITICS - HOME SCENE

24 Chasa quotes MEP Radan Kanev as telling bTV that “public political processes no longer decide what happens in Bulgaria”. He has alerted the largest party in the European Parliament – the European People’s Party (EPP) – writing in a letter that institutions in Bulgaria “have been hijacked.”

“The expression façade democracy was introduced more than 20 years ago. Processes take place behind the scenes, which are later projected onto public authority, and the consequences are severe,” he said.

Kanev explained that he has been accused of snitching “more than once, but every Bulgarian is also a citizen of the EU, and every citizen can seek protection where the country does not provide it – our country does not guarantee that the rule of law is upheld here.”

The reason for Kanev’s letter is the arrest of Varna Mayor Blagomir Kotsev. The MEP noted: “Things are deeply rotten, ever since the moment when, in violation of every rule of law, the case was transferred from Varna to Sofia.”

“Apart from the political arbitrariness and the repression of one family and an entire city, nothing has really happened. At some point it will be returned to Varna, and there the prosecution will establish that nothing wrong has taken place,” he pointed out.

“In the era of [former prosecutor general] Ivan Geshev, the presumption of innocence was trampled on long before the courts had spoken – but this is part of a bigger picture.”

“Whatever happens in the Bulgarian government is decided by [MRF-New Beginning leader] Delyan Peevski,” Kanev argued. In his words, “Peevski himself does not deserve such attention – the interesting question is what happens behind his figure, how parties larger than the MRF and politicians more powerful than him still defer to him.”

“The mobsters from the 1990s are a continuation of the chains built by State Security in the past. Now we see a continuation of these practices, but in a much more sophisticated way,” he added. “I gave the example of the Politburo – it looked as if some people were making the decisions, but we all knew that State Security made the appointments.” According to Kanev, State Security never had as much power over the judiciary as it does today: “It sounds frightening, but it is credible.”

“What I noted to my colleagues in the EPP is that they should set aside their partisan desire to defend their party [apparently referring to GERB],” since “they themselves may again end up in a similar situation.” Kanev cited the example of how the EPP once sheltered politicians from Viktor Orbán’s party, but in the end, “we forced them to expel Fidesz from their ranks.”

Asked why he is concerned for GERB, Kanev explained: “I believe the EPP will be troubled by this fact [the capture of GERB], which is why I did not write to [GERB leader] Boyko Borissov. If the largest party in Bulgaria is captured by power structures, that poses a great risk for our country and delivers a real-time blow.”

***

Duma’s main story is about how Deputy Prime Minister Atanas Zafirov dismissed as “groundless” recent political speculation about possible water supply disruptions in Veliko Tarnovo (North-central Bulgaria) and the surrounding region. Speaking after a working meeting with local mayors, MPs, and regional governor Yulia Likomanova-Mutafchieva, Zafirov said such claims serve only to spread fear and serve political interests. He stressed that the National Water Board, which he chairs, will not allow illegal use of drinking water.

Regional Development Minister Ivan Ivanov underlined that there is no water shortage for settlements supplied by the Yovkovtsi dam, currently at 52% capacity. He pointed out that Veliko Tarnovo Mayor Daniel Panov’s actions were timely and that a project to use the Alexander Stamboliyski dam for household water supply is being prepared, with financing secured under the state budget. The pipeline is expected to resolve water supply issues in several municipalities experiencing disruptions.

Environment Minister Manol Genov confirmed that Yovkovtsi remains exclusively designated for drinking water and appealed for vigilance against misinformation. Both ministers accused political opponents of exploiting the issue to score points at the expense of public anxiety.

ECONOMY

Bulgarian National Radio: Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov described Bulgaria’s 13-year gas supply contract with Turkish company BOTAS as problematic, warning it could cost state-owned Bulgargaz up to BGN 6 billion over its term. Zhelyazkov noted that Bulgargaz is already liable for more than BGN 600 million, which the company cannot currently pay.

Speaking at a forum on strategic energy decisions, he called for public debate and solutions to renegotiate the contract, emphasizing the need to balance the company’s financial stability with national economic considerations.

Zhelyazkov also stressed the importance of attracting strategic investors over the next five years to develop four pumped-storage hydroelectric plants as part of Bulgaria’s energy strategy.

The topic is covered by other major media outlets as well.

***

Capital’s main story is about Bulgarian insurance company DallBogg: Life and Health, owned by businessman Tihomir Kamenov, which is under mounting pressure after regulators in Romania permanently banned it from selling policies, following earlier restrictions in Poland and Bulgaria. The measures were triggered by concerns over delayed claim payments, aggressive underpricing in compulsory motor insurance, and risky related-party investments, including heavy exposure to Kamenov’s pharma company Chaikapharma.

With more than 60% of its premium income coming from abroad, the bans have dried up cash inflows, forcing shareholders to inject fresh capital. Brokers in Bulgaria have also stopped selling its policies, while the company reported losses exceeding BGN 23 million this year. The Financial Supervision Commission and European regulators are now tightening oversight, raising questions about DallBogg’s future viability.

 ***

Capital runs a story about how Bulgarian businesses embrace robotics despite slower integration pace. 

Bulgarian businesses are increasingly open to automation and robotics, though adoption remains slower than in Western Europe. A survey of 120 manufacturing companies commissioned by KUKA Robotics shows that over 85% view industrial robots positively, with 47.5% already using them or in the process of doing so. However, 27.5% say they have no plans for robot adoption.

KUKA has been present in Bulgaria for only two years but already has hundreds of robots in operation. The Bulgarian market grows by about 10% annually, with this year’s growth projected at 8.8%. Interest is fueled by labor shortages and the drive for efficiency, though challenges remain, including a shortage of skilled system integrators and delays in the government’s “Industry 4.0” programme.

Experts note that Bulgarian companies are moving from subcontracted production toward developing their own products, which requires highly skilled staff. While this transition slows robot integration, it also creates long-term potential. Many smaller firms start with second-hand robots due to cost constraints.

Overall, Bulgaria outpaces Romania, Greece, and Cyprus in robot adoption, and industry participants believe the state-backed “Industry 4.0” initiative will accelerate integration in the coming years. 

WORLD

Mediapool leads with a story about US President Donald Trump’s statement from Monday that Israel and several Arab countries are “very close” to reaching an agreement to end the war in Gaza.

Speaking after talks at the White House with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Trump said the plan aims not only to halt the fighting but also to advance a broader peace in the Middle East.

The White House unveiled a 20-point peace proposal for the Gaza Strip that calls for an immediate ceasefire between Israel and Hamas and the release of all hostages within 72 hours of Israel’s public acceptance. Under the plan, Israeli forces would pull back to agreed positions to allow the release, after which Israel would free 250 Palestinians serving life sentences and 1,700 Gaza residents detained since the conflict began on October 7, 2023. Humanitarian aid would also flow into Gaza.

“If both sides agree, the war will end immediately,” the document states.

At a joint press conference, Netanyahu endorsed Trump’s initiative, calling it consistent with Israel’s military objectives. “It will return all our hostages, destroy Hamas’s military capabilities, end its political rule, and ensure Gaza never again threatens Israel,” he said.

A senior Hamas official told the BBC the group had not yet seen the proposal. Trump warned that if Hamas rejected the plan, Netanyahu would have US backing to “do whatever is necessary” to “destroy” the group. Netanyahu added that if Hamas refuses, Israel “will finish the job.”

The plan rules out any future role for Hamas in Gaza’s governance but leaves open the prospect of a Palestinian state. It also establishes a “peace council” to oversee implementation, chaired by Trump, who said former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair may also participate.

Netanyahu is expected to present the proposal in Israel as a test for Hamas rather than a final settlement, the BBC reported.

Mediapool quotes  Reuters, DPA, BBC, Israel’s Channel 12 and ynet for this story.

24 Chasa also covers the topic.

SPORTS

The media cover in detail the homecoming of the Bulgarian Men’s National Volleyball team after it won silver in the World Championships.

“Bulgaria’s Volleyball Heroes Return Home After World Championship Silver,” reads Standart’s headline. 

Bulgaria’s men’s national volleyball team returned home today following their impressive second-place finish at the World Championship in the Philippines. The government plane carrying the “Lions” landed at Vasil Levski Airport at 10:01 a.m., where the team was greeted with a red carpet and a guard of honor.

Earlier in Istanbul, the players were welcomed by Minister of Youth and Sports Ivan Peshev before boarding the Airbus A319 for the flight home. The team, led by coach Gianlorenzo Blengini, was met on arrival by Bulgarian Volleyball Federation President Lyubomir Ganev, captain Aleks Grozdanov, Deputy Prime Minister Atanas Zafirov, and national teams coordinator Nikolay Ivanov.

Only about 100 people were allowed into the Airport’s VIP section, mainly relatives and friends of the volleyball stars.