The Bulgarian service of Radio Free Europe has announced the suspension of its operations following budget cuts affecting the wider international media network. At the same time, the editorial team confirmed that it will continue working through a new independent outlet called “Svobodna Tochka” (Free Point), which will be developed by a foundation carrying the same name.

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— Свободна точка (@SvobodnaTochka) March 31, 2026

According to the announcement made on social media, the journalists who previously worked for the Bulgarian newsroom will remain in place and continue publishing under the new platform. The project will also rely on a dedicated donation account to support its future activities.

“Svobodna Tochka” is expected to replace the former digital presence of “Free Europe” in Bulgaria, which functioned as the local branch of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL). The service originally broadcast in Bulgarian between 1950 and 2004, before being relaunched in 2019 as a digital multimedia platform.

The closure comes as part of broader changes within RFE/RL, which also affect operations in Romania and North Macedonia. The North Macedonian service will cease activity as of March 31, according to statements from the organization’s leadership, which cited a review of resource allocation.

RFE/RL operates as a privately registered non-profit media corporation funded through grants from the US Congress via the US Agency for Global Media (USAGM). The restructuring follows political decisions in Washington, including earlier moves to reduce the agency’s operations.

In parallel, the North Macedonia service expressed gratitude to its audience, noting that although broadcasting will end, it hopes its editorial values, focused on accountability, truth and press freedom, will continue to have an impact. The service had been active in the country since 2001.

Further changes to USAGM policy were also introduced in March 2025, when US President Donald Trump ordered a significant reduction in the agency’s activities, affecting several international public broadcasters under its supervision, including RFE/RL and Voice of America.

From Novinite.com, we wish our colleagues at Radio Free Europe and the new “Svobodna Tochka” project continued strength, resilience, and success as they move forward into this next chapter.