Media issues in Bulgaria noted by EC

Bulgaria continues to lag behind in key aspects related to media freedom and transparency in the media environment, despite a declared commitment to reforms in this area. 

This is stated in the latest European Commission Rule of Law Report for 2025, published on 8 July. According to Brussels, political and economic influence over the media in the country remains a serious problem.

The appointment of a new Director General of the Bulgarian National Television is being delayed, and a lack of political will is blocking efforts to strengthen the independence of public service media. Although several registers exist, the implementation of media ownership disclosure obligations remains limited, the report notes. Such opacity creates conditions for hidden dependencies and the concentration of influence in a small number of players – a problem that has been highlighted for years by Bulgarian and international organizations.