site.btaMedia Review: October 10

POLITICS – PENAL CODE – FREEDOM OF SPEECH

Trud: The There Is Such a People (TISP) party has proposed an amendment to the Penal Code to criminalize the dissemination of information about someone’s personal life, punishable by 1 to 6 years in prison. The bill, introduced by Alexander Rashev and other ITN MPs including Toshko Yordanov, defines personal life information as data about personal, family, intimate, or health-related matters.

The amendments, submitted on 7 October, were urgently approved in an extraordinary session of the legal commission. TISP proposes expanding the section “Crimes Against the Person” to include public relations that ensure the inviolability of the right to personal life as a fundamental human right, citing EU law and the Bulgarian Constitution.

A new criminal offense would cover the dissemination of materials containing personal information without consent. Penalties range from 1 to 6 years in prison and fines from 2,000 to 5,000 BGN, with higher penalties for particularly serious violations or harmful consequences. The proposal also allows the use of special investigative measures to ensure effective investigation and prosecution.

The news is covered by other media outlets, which criticize the proposed amendments for possibly being used against journalists. 

Dnevnik: The Association of European Journalists (AEJ) in Bulgaria strongly criticized the proposed amendments by TISP that would criminalize the dissemination of personal life information with 1–6 years in prison. AEJ calls it a regressive law that could be used to intimidate media, journalists, and opposition figures.

The bill, fast-tracked through the parliamentary Legal Commission just two days after its submission, bypassed public consultation. AEJ emphasized that while protecting personal life is important, it must be balanced with public interest and freedom of the press. Public figures, including politicians, have reduced privacy rights because the public has a right to be informed about matters such as potential corruption.

Journalistic investigations into former prime minister and GERB leader Boyko Borisov and MRF leader Delyan Peevski have revealed personal and financial dealings of significant public interest. If the amendments pass, journalists reporting on such issues could face imprisonment, undermining democracy and Bulgaria’s rule of law. AEJ warned that the law risks enabling SLAPP-style lawsuits and called on all parliamentary forces to oppose the measure.

Mediapool: The There Is Such a People (TISP) party will withdraw its proposed Penal Code amendment that would have imposed prison sentences for spreading information about someone’s personal life. The decision came on Friday, a day after the Legal Affairs Committee in Parliament hastily approved the bill. The explanation given: GERB MPs “did not read it properly” before voting in favour.

GERB leader Boyko Borisov said he had spoken with TISP founder Slavi Trifonov, who agreed to withdraw the bill because some of its provisions were unacceptable to both parties. “I suppose they didn’t read it properly. Now they’ve read it properly—and will keep reading properly,” Borisov remarked, with MP Raya Nazaryan—who attended the Legal Affairs Committee meeting—standing behind him.

Despite the withdrawal, GERB signalled partial agreement with TISP’s motives. Earlier, MP Denitsa Sacheva said on bTV that “it is not normal to see bacchanalia under the mask of freedom of speech,” though she admitted there were serious issues with the proposed changes to the Penal Code.

SOFIA WASTE CRISIS 

Sofia Mayor Vassil Terziev said he would not approve waste collection contracts at inflated prices, insisting on the city’s projected rate of BGN 166 per tonne instead of the BGN 420 demanded by private firms. He announced that the municipality is likely to sign a deal with a Turkish company and strengthen the municipal firm Sofekostroy, which will handle cleaning in the Lyulin, Krasno Selo, and Krasna Polyana districts.

Following a waste collection crisis in early October, the municipality temporarily took over operations with volunteers and additional equipment. The City Council has since allocated BGN 9 million to Sofekostroy to expand its capacity. Terziev warned of attempts to artificially create a crisis but said he expects normal waste collection to resume soon and called on citizens to separate their waste responsibly.

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Mediapool leads with a story about the waste crisis in Sofia and the recent help offered by GERB leader Boyko Borissov and Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov to Sofia Mayor Vassil Terziev in tackling the waste crisis in the capital. The Bulgarian state, led by Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov, has offered Sofia Municipality support with equipment and resources for waste collection in the Lyulin and Krasno Selo districts, following emergency cleanup operations caused by Mayor Vassil Terziev’s refusal to work with a company linked to Hristoforos “Taki” Amanatidis. Terziev stated that the municipality is currently managing with its own resources, volunteers, and municipal staff, but may accept assistance if necessary. A long-term solution has been planned, assigning the municipal company Sofekostroy to handle waste removal with newly acquired equipment funded by the city. Terziev also called for structural reforms, including criminalizing illegal dumping, modernizing the deposit system, improving packaging waste collection, and ensuring stable, professional support from state institutions. He emphasized that Sofia seeks a permanent, well-coordinated solution rather than emergency interventions or populist measures. The Prime Minister’s proposal came a day after GERB leader Boyko Borisov called on Terziev to go to Parliament with a “blank sheet of paper” and vote to acquire trucks, hire staff, and handle the issue without public tenders. Borisov mentioned an extraordinary legislation and funding of 100–200 million leva.

Terziev’s reaction came on Thursday: “Anyone who has taken Borissov’s offered hand has sunk into quicksand. We need a stable foundation,” the Mayor commented on Facebook.

HOME SCENE

24 Chasa leads with a story headlined “Sofia–Varna Road Remains Blocked for Second Day near Popovo amid Protest”. 

For a second consecutive day, the Sofia–Varna road remains blocked near the northeastern town of Popovo due to a continuing protest. Dozens of cars and demonstrators have kept the section of road II-51 (Popovo–Byala) closed at the intersection with Bulgaria Boulevard, according to BTA.

The protest was sparked by the death of a 24-year-old motorcyclist who was killed in an accident near the village of Kardam in early April. His family and relatives dispute the official findings, claiming he was murdered rather than dying as a result of the crash.

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Duma: In just ten days, the number of people in Bulgaria without access to drinking water has dropped by half — from 310,000 to just over 160,000, according to the latest data. This improvement is partly due to recent rainfall and partly to the efforts of the Ministry of Regional Development and Public Works, local water utilities, the National Water Board, and the government.

Socialist leader Atanas Zafirov, who also chairs the National Water Board, shared the update with journalists during the closing event of the “Interactive Escape Room on Wheels” project. Earlier in the day, the board held its second regular meeting.

ENERGY 

Former Energy Minister Alexander Nikolov warned that the sale of Lukoil should be subject to strict state oversight because the refinery plays a major role across Southeast Europe and the Western Balkans. Speaking on bTV, he said Bulgaria must ensure transparency in ownership and financial flows in the energy sector and regularly inform the public about its economic performance.

Nikolov criticised the country’s reputation for corruption, citing The Wall Street Journal’s comparison of Bulgaria to Congo, and argued that appearances of stability in companies like Bulgargaz are misleading, as they rely on debt-ridden entities such as Toplofikatsiya.

ECONOMY

Capital: At a conference in Sofia, the  MRF - New Beginning party, led by Delyan Peevski, examined the European Parliament’s recommendations on housing and drew lessons from Turkiye’s experience in building social housing. Housing affordability is increasingly critical across Europe, with prices rising dramatically and young families facing severe difficulties. In Bulgaria, housing costs have increased by 101% for new homes, making state-supported long-term programs essential.

Turkish models, where the state provides land and private companies build social housing sold at cost, were highlighted as successful. Bulgaria could adopt similar strategies, including public-private partnerships, financing for young families, and legislative reforms to accelerate construction and reduce costs. Party representatives, including Iskra Mihaylova, stressed the importance of coordinated housing policy, targeting vulnerable groups, and integrating municipalities and financial institutions into implementation.

The conference emphasized five key pillars of the EU strategy: increasing housing supply, facilitating permits and reducing bureaucracy, mobilizing public and private financing, supporting access to housing for first-time buyers and key workers, and creating data-driven solutions including a European digital platform for housing information. The initiative aims to align Bulgaria with the EU regulatory framework while addressing housing affordability, social inclusion, and sustainable construction.

SPORT 

All media outlets cover the news of Bulgarian weightlifter Karlos Nasar winning his third world title. 

Dnevnik: Karlos Nasar has won the third world title of his career in weightlifting. The Bulgarian lifter made up a significant deficit after the first part of the competition to ultimately triumph in the Norwegian city of Forde.

With this achievement, Nasar joins the elite group of Bulgarian weightlifters who have claimed three gold medals at World Championships. He now stands alongside Atanas Kirov (1973, 1974, 1975), Anton Kodzhabashev (1979, 1981, 1982), Assen Zlatev (1980, 1982, 1986), Blagoi Blagoev (1981, 1982, 1983), Alexander Varbanov (1983, 1985, 1986), Neno Terziyski (1983, 1985, 1987), Mihail Petrov (1985, 1986, 1987), Sevdalin Marinov (1985, 1986, 1987), Nikolay Peshalov (1990, 1993, 1994), Yoto Yotov (1991, 1993, 1997), and Zlatan Vanev (1997, 1998, 2002).
At the top of this ranking with five world titles is Yanko Rusev, followed by Ivan Ivanov with four.

NOBEL PEACE PRIZE 

Bulgarian National Radio: The 2025 Nobel Peace Prize has been awarded to María Corina Machado, the leader of Venezuela’s opposition, the Nobel Committee in Oslo announced.

The 58-year-old Machado won the Venezuelan opposition’s primary election last year to become its presidential candidate, but the regime barred her from running. Since then, she has been forced into hiding from the authorities.

This year’s Peace Prize announcement came amid heightened expectations, fuelled by the public ambitions of U.S. President Donald Trump. The Nobel Committee noted that its decision had been made on Monday — several days before Israel and Hamas agreed to a ceasefire under Trump’s Gaza plan.

Bulgarian National TV also covers the news.