BGOwnership & classification
Founded: 2000
Ownership
Mediapool.bg is one of Bulgaria's first online news outlets, launched in 2000. It is published by Mediapool EOOD and is editorially led by long-time editor-in-chief Stoyana Georgieva. It is a small, privately held independent newsroom and is not part of the large politically connected media groups (such as those formerly tied to oligarch Delyan Peevski) that dominate much of the Bulgarian market.
Funding
The site is financed mainly through online advertising and partnerships, and as a small independent publisher it has at times participated in EU and donor-funded journalism projects. It is not financed by the state budget or by a political party.
Affiliation & stance
Mediapool has a pro-European, liberal editorial orientation and a reputation for critical, analytical political coverage independent of the dominant party and oligarchic media networks. Because it is privately owned by its own journalists and carries no party, church or state control, it is correctly classified as INDEPENDENT.
Editorial lean
- Our estimate
- Lean Left
- Measured from coverage
- Centerbased on 361
83/100
Factual
75/100
Objective
485
Articles
485
reports
Top stories
Most covered right now
U.S. and Iran agree to cease attacks and return to talks
The lowest temperatures in July in our country will be between 10 and 15 degrees, and the highest - between 38 and 43 degrees, told BTA Krasimir Stoev from NIMH
Canada is the first 1/8 finalist of the World Cup after the victory in extra time over South Africa
One person has died and five people have been injured in fires across the country in the last 24 hours, 126 fires have been extinguished
Reciprocal attacks between the US and Iran
Britain's Secretary of State for Trade and Industry has said he has no reason to believe that Prime Minister Keir Starmer is planning to resign tomorrow.
How should we react to the provocations from North Macedonia?
Mitzkoski: The North Macedonian government will not be blackmailed
With 411 votes in favour, the EP defended our shared history with Skopje and the inclusion of Bulgarians in the constitution (Review)
Recent coverage
Ukraine reports two dead after night attacks by Russia, with the death toll in Kiev rising to 30.
At least two people were killed and eight injured in Russian air strikes on the Sumy region and Kryvyj Rih in Ukraine during the night of Thursday to Friday, according to Ukrainian authorities. This follows a large-scale Russian attack on Kyiv earlier in the week which killed at least 30 people and injured around 100 others. In response to the attacks, Ukraine conducted missile strikes on Belgorod in Russia, causing a fire at an energy facility and killing one woman, according to Russian media. The overnight strike on the city of Romny in the Sumy region hit a residential building, killing two women and injuring a man, reported regional administrator Oleh Hryhorov via Telegram. Another seven people were injured in a missile strike on Kryvyj Rih, according to military city administrator Oleksandr Vilkul. In Kyiv, teams discovered three more dead bodies during the night, bringing the total number of victims to 30, according to Reuters citing Ukrainian health authorities. Kyiv's military administrator Tymur Tkačenko stated that the attack injured 99 people. Moscow claimed the extensive attack was a response to Ukrainian strikes on Russian energy infrastructure, including those carried
A secondary earthquake shook Venezuela in the crucial hours of the rescue operation.
A secondary earthquake with magnitude 4.6 struck central and northern regions of Venezuela early Monday morning, according to global agencies. Another weaker tremor was reported in La Guaira, one of the most heavily affected areas by previous earthquakes. No significant damage has been reported from the latest quake. Rescue operations continue in critical hours, with humanitarian organizations emphasizing the first 48 to 72 hours as crucial but noting survivors could still be found later if they have access to food and water. Venezuelan Parliament President Jorge Rodriguez stated efforts are focused on saving lives and setting up shelters for those who lost their homes. Families and volunteers have spent days searching through ruins in La Guaira. Over 2,600 foreign rescuers have arrived, though some local residents complain about the lack of heavy machinery. The government reported at least 33 people rescued over the weekend, including several children. A 21-year-old man was saved after being trapped under rubble for nearly 106 hours. As of the latest reports, the death toll exceeds 1,450, with more than 3,150 injured, and tens of thousands remain missing. Around 12,700 people are无
NATO leaders will reaffirm their "unwavering commitment" to collective defense in Ankara, according to the summit declaration.
На срещата на върха на НАТО в Анкара, която ще се проведе на 7 и 8 юли, лидери от алианса, включително американският президент Доналд Тръмп, ще потвърдят 'непоколебимата' ангажираност към колективната отбрана съгласно член 5 от договора. Въпреки предишните съмнения на Тръмп относно американската подкрепа за НАТО, текстът, одобрен от всички 32 членове, подчертава сътрудничеството между САЩ и Европа. В декларацията се посочва, че Русия е 'дългосрочна заплаха', а европейските страни и Канада са увеличили разходите за отбрана. Освен това, съюзниците са решили да отпуснат 70 млрд. евро военна помощ за Украйна за 2026 г. и 'поне същото ниво' през 2027 г., което означава общо 140 млрд. евро за два години. Финансирането ще бъде частично от ЕС, а Германия обеща 11,5 млрд. евро за 2026 г. Украинският президент Володимир Зеленски ще присъствува като гост.
Burgas, Varna, Plovdiv and Sofia have officially entered the battle for Eurovision 2027.
Four Bulgarian cities—Burgas, Varna, Plovdiv, and Sofia—have officially submitted their bids to host the Eurovision Song Contest 2027. The applications were handed over to Bulgaria’s National Television (BNT) before the deadline on Friday at 5 PM. The city selected as host will be announced by the end of July. BNT emphasized that they are seeking a partner city to collaborate with them throughout the preparation process until May 2027, using clear criteria set by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU). The selection process began in June after BNT held informational meetings with representatives from the four interested municipalities. As a member of the EBU and the host broadcaster for Eurovision 2026, BNT plays a leading role in organizing the event in partnership with the EBU.
The royal wedding of America, Taylor Swift and Travis Kelsey are throwing a super party in New York.
The article discusses the upcoming wedding of Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce, which is being planned as a large-scale event at Madison Square Garden in New York. It mentions the speculation around the location, including rumors of other potential venues like Rhode Island and Lake Como. The article notes that the venue was confirmed after Donna Kelce, Travis’s mother, was seen arriving at JFK Airport. It highlights the involvement of friends, family, and celebrities such as Abigail Anderson, Lina Durnam, Jack Antonoff, Jourdan Dunn, and others who were spotted preparing for the event. The article also references past tensions between Taylor Swift and Blake Lively, noting that Lively was absent from a rehearsal dinner due to a reported conflict involving leaked messages.
The state highway takes the mantinels, it buys them from the companies that make them.
The state-owned road infrastructure company 'Avtomagistrali' EAD has taken over the temporary supply, installation, and repair of traffic control systems on roads, bypassing a public tender process. This decision was announced by Alexander Todorov, head of the Road Infrastructure Agency (API), who stated that the move is allowed under current law since the company is controlled by the regional ministry, which also oversees the road agency. The public procurement for traffic barriers worth nearly €500 million over five years was canceled on June 30, according to records. Todorov mentioned that this arrangement would remain in place until new companies are selected for road maintenance. Current contracts are expiring—half by the end of this year and the rest next year. However, there is currently no new leadership at 'Avtomagistrali' EAD, and no proposals have been submitted to change the company’s structure. The firm does not manufacture traffic barriers itself but plans to purchase them from other firms, some of which had previously criticized the canceled procurement process. Critics argue that this approach mirrors past controversial 'in-house' deals involving the construction of
A GERB crew is taking over Highways to finish the inhouse.
Regional Minister Architect Ivan Shishkov has replaced the entire board of directors at the state-owned company 'Automagistrali.' The new CEO is Ivan Kunev, a member of GERB, who previously headed the Regional Road Management in Blagoevgrad, according to a check by Mediapool in the Trade Register. Earlier, Engineer Alexander Todorov, chairman of the Board of Directors of the 'Road Infrastructure Agency' (API), announced that a new director would sign an in-house contract for installing barriers. The state company became known for billions spent on in-house contracts for building the Hemus motorway, the high-speed road to Viden, and slope reinforcement projects awarded during the third government of Boiko Borisov in 2019 and 2020, but nothing has been completed yet. While the new head of 'Automagistrali' has some experience with roads, the others have no background in road construction and were likely appointed for other reasons. Economist Viktor Popov was named a council member, having worked recently at the Sports Totalizer and National Sports Base. The other two members are 34-year-old Nikola Bacheva and 64-year-old 'Scottish brother' Mitko Mihaylov.
The files committee: what's going to happen to the DS archive?
The article discusses the Bulgarian government's plan to shut down the Commission for Investigating Documents, which has been responsible for revealing the ties of citizens to the State Security and intelligence services of the Bulgarian People's Army. The move comes after Bulgaria withdrew military support for Ukraine, did not back the Putin tribunal or sanctions against the Russian patriarch, and announced plans to rejoin a nuclear institute in Dubna, all actions taken due to Russia's aggression in Ukraine. This decision would block access to information about the repressive structures of the former communist regime and prevent tracking their transformations during the transition to democracy and the methods used to sabotage the process. The article outlines the history of the commission, noting that after the fall of communism, these structures retained influence and obstructed access to their archives. It highlights past failures to open documents related to repression and the infiltration of ex-DSS members into politics, business, and new security agencies. Efforts to create a state body to handle the DSS archive began under the democratic right government between 1997 and 200
Supreme judges questioned how the health information of Bulgarians is protected
The Supreme Administrative Court of Bulgaria has raised concerns over the regulation governing the protection of sensitive health data under Regulation N-6, which came into effect in 2023. This regulation establishes electronic health records and allows the state to store health information for up to 50 years after a patient’s death. The court questions whether this regulation meets the higher standards of personal data protection required by European law, noting that it lacks specific provisions for handling sensitive health data. It highlights issues such as the lack of clear guarantees for informed consent, transparency regarding access to data, and the absence of restrictions on who can access these records. The court has referred several key questions to the Court of Justice of the European Union, including whether a dedicated law on health data protection is necessary and whether patients should have the option to limit access to their medical information.
If you want water and a canal, go to the director.
In Nesebar, Bulgaria, the director of the local water utility (ВиК), Svetlin Stanchev, was arrested along with another employee after allegedly accepting a bribe of €8,000 to connect a resident’s property to the water network. The alleged victim reported the incident at the end of May, leading to an investigation. During a search of Stanchev’s home, authorities found €33,000 in cash and notebooks containing names, which are suspected to relate to the corruption scheme but require further verification. According to police, the process of connecting new customers typically involves meeting with the director first, bypassing standard procedures, and negotiating fees. This appears to be part of a broader pattern of corruption within the utility company, with police suggesting this case may represent just the tip of the iceberg.
NATFIZ students are demanding the resignation of their rector.
Students at the National Academy of Theatre and Film Arts 'Krastyo Sarafov' (NAFIF) have protested against the academy's management, demanding the resignation of rector Professor Miroslav Dachev, a member of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences. The protest was organized with a scheduled start time of 16:30 on Friday outside the academy’s building, supported by the entire faculty council of the 'Screen Arts' faculty. In an open letter addressed to Prime Minister Rumen Radev, lawmakers, and rectors of all higher education institutions, students accuse the current leadership of losing their trust and failing to uphold institutional governance, academic freedom, transparency, and student rights. They cite recent incidents, including insufficient institutional participation in managing the European University Alliance FilmEU, which could lead to the academy being expelled from the alliance. Students also report an atmosphere of pressure against professors who express critical views, citing cases where educators were accused of whistleblowing after reporting issues to the Ministry of Education and Science, leading to ethical committee investigations and threats of warnings or dismissal. In
Putin recognizes the oil map for the first time
Russian President Vladimir Putin acknowledged for the first time that Russia is building 'some oil reserves' during a meeting focused on energy issues. He emphasized the need to strengthen domestic oil production and increase output. Meanwhile, Ukrainian forces continued their attacks on Russian energy infrastructure, detonating an oil purification plant in the southern Krasnodar region, which produces around four million tons of crude oil annually. The Krasnodar region is one of Russia's largest oil-producing areas located near the Black Sea. On Tuesday, Ukrainian forces launched large-scale air strikes on Sevastopol, the largest city on Crimea, including attacks on oil facilities. In response, Russia, which annexed Crimea in 2014, has restricted fuel sales to the public to counteract the energy shortages. According to reports, these attacks have had no impact on the front line. During an interview with a Russian state television station, Putin described the Ukrainian attacks on Russian oil infrastructure as an attempt to destabilize Russian society. He stated that Ukraine's goal was to halt the deployment of Russian military units to improve their position in arms control talks.
The Empire of Records: the role of the United States in world sports
The article discusses the United States' significant role in global sports history, highlighting major achievements by American athletes at the Olympic Games. It references historical moments such as Jesse Owens' victory in Berlin 1936, Mark Spitz's record-breaking performance in Munich 1972, Carl Lewis's dominance in the 1980s and 1990s, and Michael Phelps' unprecedented success with 28 Olympic medals. The piece also mentions the U.S. national football team qualifying for the World Cup and connects this to the celebration of America's 250th anniversary of independence on July 4th. The article includes promotional content about betting services related to international sports events.
Overlooked
Under-reported & one-sided
Kremlin: Russia's terms for peace with Ukraine have not changed since 2024.
A scientist from INSAIT has won a €2.5 million grant under the Horizon Europe science programme
Skopje tries to eliminate common history as a condition for a place in Europe (overview)
Ukraine attacked bridges to Crimea with long-range drones
The intensified disinformation in North Macedonia comes from structures and media platforms linked to Bulgaria, says the Deputy Foreign Minister
Borisov: Let's bring back good upbringing for the hundred days of tolerance towards the government
"Secret mission". 100 million barrels of oil have passed through the Hormuz Stream.
Investigating close to Orban for fraud with billions of EU dollars (overview)
