The Crisis of Trust in Bulgarian Media

President Rumen Radev expressed his position regarding the state of the media environment in Bulgaria. During a briefing in Pleven, he emphasized that both politics and the media rely solely on public trust.

"I hope that the media will work like the institutions in order to regain the trust of the public," the head of state commented.

Radev cited data from sociological surveys, according to which over 60% of Bulgarians seek alternative sources of information outside of the official media. He also responded to a question regarding the claims of Deputy Prime Minister Ivo Hristov that the oligarchy has taken over a large part of the media space.

Highlights from the speech:

  • Media outlets that claim freedom of expression should not be afraid of critical findings.
  • Every politician and public figure has the right to their own opinion, which should not be perceived as a final verdict.
  • The findings of Deputy Prime Minister Hristov are a cause for reflection regarding the independence of the national media.

The comment was made during the president's official visit to the "Georgi Benkovski" Air Force Academy, where he attended the graduation of cadets from the 75th "Apriltsi – 2026" class.