The media environment in Bulgaria remains troubled by concerns regarding the independence of the press and the influence of political and economic forces. The European Commission's annual rule of law report for 2023, released on July 24, highlights ongoing issues in these areas. The report evaluates four main topics for each EU member state: justice, corruption, media freedom and pluralism, and institutional matters related to administrative functioning.

In the section on media freedom and pluralism, the report acknowledges that while some progress has been made, significant challenges persist. Recent years have seen recommendations for greater transparency in the distribution of state advertising funds. Although the European Commission notes "some improvement" in this area, government advertising is still often distributed through intermediaries like media agencies, which complicates transparency efforts. Amendments to the Public Procurement Act now mandate the publication of notices for public procurement and payments to media service providers, but shortcomings persist, particularly at local and regional levels where government advertising is reportedly used to exert influence.

The report also highlights issues with the effectiveness of media ownership registers. Despite the existence of registers managed by the Council for Electronic Media (CEM) and the Ministry of Culture, which are supposed to make media ownership more transparent, these measures are considered weak in practice. Stakeholders argue that the register is not user-friendly and that self-declaration systems are ineffective, as not all media outlets comply with ownership disclosure requirements. The situation is notably problematic with some opaque online media platforms that often spread disinformation.

One of the legislative initiatives aimed at improving transparency, the Law on Compulsory Deposit of Printed and Other Works and Announcement of Distributors and Media Service Providers, was introduced in 2018 by Delyan Peevski, who has since been sanctioned for corruption by the USA and UK. Despite the presence of a legal framework intended to ensure editorial independence, political and economic influences on the media remain substantial. The European Commission points out that although efforts are underway to draft a law to strengthen public media independence, the media regulator has yet to appoint a new director general for the national broadcaster. Emil Koshlukov, the current head of BNT, has been in position since his mandate expired in 2022, pending the resolution of a court case related to his election.

The report also notes that while legal guarantees for editorial independence exist in the Law on Radio and Television and the Code of Ethics of the Bulgarian Media, there is a 50% risk of political interference in media content, especially among local media. The absence of specific media concentration rules allows for vertical integration, where companies acquire both telecommunications and media properties, further exacerbating the issue.

On a positive note, improvements in access to information and measures to protect journalists from strategic lawsuits against public participation (SLAPP) are recognized. However, media workers still face various threats and challenges. Overall, the report concludes that while there have been steps towards greater transparency and protection for journalists, substantial obstacles remain in ensuring media independence and fully implementing ownership disclosure requirements.