Bulgaria - Articoli

Habitats, species, ecosystems: the state of nature in south-east Europe

10/12/2020 -  Pietro Stefani

The latest report from the European Environment Agency (EEA) paints a grave picture of the EU’s environmental situation, which requires urgent attention from member states if current trends are to be reversed. A look at south-east Europe


Protests in Bulgaria, the voices from the square

03/08/2020 -  Francesco Martino Sofia

Protests against the Borisov government have been going on for over 20 days in Bulgaria. Our correspondent was at the heart of the demonstrations – in the centre of capital Sofia – to collect the live voices of the protest


Bulgaria, if coronavirus tests freedom of expression

25/03/2020 -  Francesco Martino Sofia

Fines and prison for spreading "false news" about coronavirus, police access to sensitive phone and web traffic data: some norms of the COVID-19 "emergency package" by the Bulgarian government have stirred a debate on freedom and rights in the pandemic


Bulgaria, waiting for the coronavirus "stress test"

11/03/2020 -  Francesco Martino Sofia

The Borisov government reacts mildly as the first cases are being reported in Bulgaria. Strong concerns about the Bulgarian healthcare system's ability to withstand the impact of Covid-19, especially if the situation deteriorates quickly


Balkan route: fragile calmness on the Bulgarian front

06/03/2020 -  Francesco Martino Sofia

Good relations with Turkey and especially with president Erdoğan, at all costs: this is how prime minister Boyko Borisov has managed to protect Bulgaria from the new migration crisis. However, this strategy may be based on fragile foundations


How many Bulgarians live in Europe?

09/10/2019 -  Yoanna IvanovaZornitsa StoilovaAnina Santova

Bulgaria is experiencing massive flows of emigration. Yet, not everyone goes away for the same reason, or moves to another EU country with the same life plans


Bulgaria, radio silence

20/09/2019 -  Francesco Martino Sofia

Bulgaria confirms its structural problems in the field of press freedom. This time, the scandal is the attempted removal from the public radio (BNR) of an inconvenient journalist, followed by a mysterious obscuring of the repeaters


What future for tourism in Bulgaria?

23/08/2019 -  Francesco Martino Sofia

According to Sofia's Ministry of Tourism, the sector now represents as much as 12% of the country's gross domestic product, for a turnover of around 4 billion Euros in 2018. However, Bulgaria has not yet managed to go from "alternative solution" to "preferred destination"


European elections in Bulgaria: Borisov wins, abstention at record level

31/05/2019 -  Francesco Martino Sofia

Characterized by record high level of abstention, the European elections in Bulgaria marked a new success for the prime minister Borisov, who won despite scandals and unfavorable poll predictions


European elections in Bulgaria, under the sign of corruption

22/05/2019 -  Francesco Martino Sofia

A series of scandals has shaken Bulgaria on the eve of the next European elections, threatening to affect the results and overshadow the debate on the major issues of the Union's future


Between two families: stories of migrant domestic workers in Greece

18/03/2019 -  Elvira Krithari Athens

Anna, Maria, and many others. In Greece, thousands of migrant women work as domestic helpers and carers. A difficult life, suspended between legality and informal sector, country of origin and destination, pride and regret


Winter in the Balkans: cold housing and polluted cities? Something is changing

14/03/2019 -  Lorenzo Ferrari

Many citizens of south-east Europe cannot afford to properly heat their own homes. The impact on health and air pollution is serious, but energy poverty has recently begun to decline


Sofia, capital of pollution

15/01/2019 -  Francesco Martino Sofia

Despite some timid positive signals, Sofia remains one of Europe's most polluted capitals – a problem made worse only by the slow reaction of the city's institutions


Investigative journalism in Bulgaria, the challenge is to resist

06/12/2018 -  Francesco Martino Sofia

From his recent arrest during an investigation on corruption in public procurement to the murder of TV host Viktoria Marinova, Bivol's investigative journalist Dimitar Stoyanov gives an overview of the criticizes of information in Bulgaria


High tech: in Bulgaria, it's (also) a women's business

12/06/2018 -  Marzia Bona

Job creation in the ICT sector could help address the gender divide in Europe's labour market, but the sector is mostly dominated by men. Bulgaria stands out with a high rate of women employed in the sector


Western Balkans-EU Integration: Why Italy should take the lead

16/05/2018 -  Luisa Chiodi

On the eve of the Sofia Summit between the EU and the Western Balkans, an analysis of Italy's role in the enlargement process


Connecting Western Balkans to the European Union

17/05/2018 -  Gentiola Madhi*

In the last few years, "connectivity" has been one of the keywords of the process of EU enlargement to the Western Balkans. An analysis


Dossier: Freedom of the press in Bulgaria

03/05/2018 -  Nicola PedrazziFazıla MatValentina Vivona

Dangerous entanglements between media, politics and business in the country in charge of the Presidency of the Council of the EU


Media in Bulgaria: euphoria, crisis and corruption

02/05/2018 -  Valentina Vivona

A talk with Dr. Lada Trifonova Price from Sheffield Hallam University on the state of information in Bulgaria, native country of hers on which she has focused her research


Bulgaria, freedom of the press at the time of the EU presidency

20/04/2018 -  Francesco Martino Sofia

Bulgaria currently holds its first, historic presidency of the Council of Ministers of the EU: in these very same months, however, the main international observers have continued to place the country as the last in Europe for freedom of the media


Why does a "whistlеblower" remain an exotic phenomenon for Bulgaria?

15/01/2018 -  Mediapool

The low level of trust in the institutions on the part not only of the citizens but also on the part of those working in them is the reason – also evident from different sociological data


Sofia edit-a-thon: for a plural ecosystem of information

14/12/2017 -  Rossella Vignola

Media freedom, public interest, transparency, data journalism, facts-based information: all these issues have been dealt with in Sofia, during the Wiki4MediaFreedom edit-a-thon, a writing marathon on media freedom-related issues in Wikipedia which gathered journalists, experts and activists


Wikipedia edit-a-thon in Sofia to support media freedom and democratic commons

14/11/2017 -  Rossella Vignola

The second edition of the Wiki4MediaFreedom edit-a-thon will take place in Sofia on November 27th. It will boost the availability of accurate knowledge on media freedom and pluralism in the largest open encyclopedia worldwide


Macedonia-Bulgaria, "brother peoples"

11/08/2017 -  Ilcho Cvetanoski Skopje

The reactions in Macedonia to the good-neighbour agreement between Skopje and Sofia, between ideological U-turns by traditional parties and the praise of the Orthodox monks


Bulgaria and Macedonia, good neighbours?

11/08/2017 -  Francesco Martino Sofia

The signing of the good-neighbour agreement with Macedonia, long pursued by Bulgaria, is undoubtedly a success for Sofia's diplomacy. However, the practical and long-term effects of the agreements remain to be seen


Sofia, a growing tourist destination

28/07/2017 -  Francesco Martino Sofia

Sofia is enjoying a tourism boom, especially thanks to the ever-increasing number of low-cost flights. The economy benefits from it, but a long-term sustainable tourism strategy is still missing


Bulgaria, "quasi-media" on the rise

13/04/2017 -  Mediapool Sofia

Media on government payroll and distrust by citizens make Bulgaria a symbol of deteriorating freedom of expression in Europe


EU-Bulgaria, a multi-speed anniversary

06/04/2017 -  Francesco Martino Sofia

Bulgaria, the EU, and the 60th anniversary of the Treaties of Rome. From the collapse of the Berlin Wall to ''multi-speed Europe". An interview with Professor Anna Krasteva


Bulgaria: every third institution is not transparent

09/02/2017 -  Tsvetelina Yordanova

According to a study conducted by a local Ngo, Bulgarian institutions are gradually improving their transparency when publicising the acts they issue. Nevertheless, much remains to be done


Bulgaria, where the local press "can be bought for cheap"

06/02/2017 -  Francesco Martino Sofia

In Bulgaria, local administrations spend large sums to "finance" the media, thus influencing their editorial line – a concerning situation, especially outside Sofia