Bulgaria’s Prime Minister Gifts Pope Symbolic Omophorion Amid Talks on Faith and Ukraine
Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov made a notable visit to the Vatican ahead of Bulgaria’s May 24 celebrations
The Israeli newspaper Haaretz has published two videos featuring Matan Angrest, an Israeli soldier with Bulgarian citizenship who has been held by Hamas since October 7, 2023. The release of the footage was authorized by his family, and the Israeli state news agency, BTA reported.
The family of Matan Angrest has made the difficult decision to release footage showing their son during the October 7th attack and his captivity found by the IDF. This rare and painful step comes after almost 18 months of their son being held hostage.
— Bring Them Home Now (@bringhomenow) April 3, 2025
Statement from Anat… pic.twitter.com/xlw82WtCqr
One of the videos captures the moment of Angrest's abduction during the Hamas-led attack, while the second shows him already in captivity. His mother, Anat Angrest, explained the difficult decision to release the videos, saying, "We are forced to publish footage of Matan being lynched, beaten by a mob." She said she had previously refrained from viewing the footage herself, leaving that responsibility to her husband Hagai, but ultimately felt compelled to act.
Matan Angrest was serving in the Israeli military and was kidnapped from his tank near the village of Nahal Oz, close to the Gaza border, during the initial assault on October 7. He sustained injuries during the fighting and was subsequently captured by Hamas. Two other soldiers, Captain Daniel Perez and Sergeant Itai Chen, who were with him at the time, were killed. Their remains are believed to be in Hamas custody.
While a still image from a video showing Angrest in captivity was released last month, this marks the first time the full video has been made public. The unedited 3.5-minute recording, reportedly obtained by the Israeli army in July 2023, confirms that Angrest was alive at the time and visibly wounded.
Bulgarian MP Stanislav Balabanov from the “There Is Such a People” (TISP) party raised concerns on Thursday about an upcoming report in the European Parliament
Elisaveta Belobradova, a member of parliament from "We Continue the Change-Democratic Bulgaria" (WCC-DB), released the full content of her written inquiry to the Ministry of Education and Science (MES)
In April 2025, a serious cybersecurity breach targeted Bulgaria’s Permanent Representation to NATO, according to Ivaylo Mirchev, an MP from the “We Continue the Change–Democratic Bulgaria” coalition
The Russian Foreign Ministry has launched a sharp attack against Bulgarian institutions, accusing them of launching a targeted campaign against Russian language teachers
GERB leader Boyko Borissov has revealed that during his recent visit to Istanbul, he raised the issue of the gas transmission contract with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan
Delyan Peevski, leader of the “DPS - New Beginning” party urged the so-called “poodles” to stop justifying themselves over a sum of 15 million leva
Google Street View Cars Return to Bulgaria for Major Mapping Update
Housing Prices Soar in Bulgaria’s Major Cities as Demand and Supply Strain Increase